Risk Assessment and Communication Tools for Genotype Associations with Multifactorial Phenotypes: The Concept of “Edge Effect” and Cultivating an Ethical Bridge between Omics Innovations and Society

PubMed Central

Suarez-Kurtz, Guilherme; Stenne, Raphaëlle; Somogyi, Andrew A.; Someya, Toshiyuki; Kayaalp, S. Oğuz; Kolker, Eugene

2009-01-01

Abstract Applications of omics technologies in the postgenomics era swiftly expanded from rare monogenic disorders to multifactorial common complex diseases, pharmacogenomics, and personalized medicine. Already, there are signposts indicative of further omics technology investment in nutritional sciences (nutrigenomics), environmental health/ecology (ecogenomics), and agriculture (agrigenomics). Genotype–phenotype association studies are a centerpiece of translational research in omics science. Yet scientific and ethical standards and ways to assess and communicate risk information obtained from association studies have been neglected to date. This is a significant gap because association studies decisively influence which genetic loci become genetic tests in the clinic or products in the genetic test marketplace. A growing challenge concerns the interpretation of large overlap typically observed in distribution of quantitative traits in a genetic association study with a polygenic/multifactorial phenotype. To remedy the shortage of risk assessment and communication tools for association studies, this paper presents the concept of edge effect. That is, the shift in population edges of a multifactorial quantitative phenotype is a more sensitive measure (than population averages) to gauge the population level impact and by extension, policy significance of an omics marker. Empirical application of the edge effect concept is illustrated using an original analysis of warfarin pharmacogenomics and the VKORC1 genetic variation in a Brazilian population sample. These edge effect analyses are examined in relation to regulatory guidance development for association studies. We explain that omics science transcends the conventional laboratory bench space and includes a highly heterogeneous cast of stakeholders in society who have a plurality of interests that are often in conflict. Hence, communication of risk information in diagnostic medicine also demands attention to processes involved in production of knowledge and human values embedded in scientific practice, for example, why, how, by whom, and to what ends association studies are conducted, and standards are developed (or not). To ensure sustainability of omics innovations and forecast their trajectory, we need interventions to bridge the gap between omics laboratory and society. Appreciation of scholarship in history of omics science is one remedy to responsibly learn from the past to ensure a sustainable future in omics fields, both emerging (nutrigenomics, ecogenomics), and those that are more established (pharmacogenomics). Another measure to build public trust and sustainability of omics fields could be legislative initiatives to create a multidisciplinary oversight body, at arm's length from conflict of interests, to carry out independent, impartial, and transparent innovation analyses and prospective technology assessment. PMID:19290811

Risk assessment and communication tools for genotype associations with multifactorial phenotypes: the concept of "edge effect" and cultivating an ethical bridge between omics innovations and society.

PubMed

Ozdemir, Vural; Suarez-Kurtz, Guilherme; Stenne, Raphaëlle; Somogyi, Andrew A; Someya, Toshiyuki; Kayaalp, S Oğuz; Kolker, Eugene

2009-02-01

Applications of omics technologies in the postgenomics era swiftly expanded from rare monogenic disorders to multifactorial common complex diseases, pharmacogenomics, and personalized medicine. Already, there are signposts indicative of further omics technology investment in nutritional sciences (nutrigenomics), environmental health/ecology (ecogenomics), and agriculture (agrigenomics). Genotype-phenotype association studies are a centerpiece of translational research in omics science. Yet scientific and ethical standards and ways to assess and communicate risk information obtained from association studies have been neglected to date. This is a significant gap because association studies decisively influence which genetic loci become genetic tests in the clinic or products in the genetic test marketplace. A growing challenge concerns the interpretation of large overlap typically observed in distribution of quantitative traits in a genetic association study with a polygenic/multifactorial phenotype. To remedy the shortage of risk assessment and communication tools for association studies, this paper presents the concept of edge effect. That is, the shift in population edges of a multifactorial quantitative phenotype is a more sensitive measure (than population averages) to gauge the population level impact and by extension, policy significance of an omics marker. Empirical application of the edge effect concept is illustrated using an original analysis of warfarin pharmacogenomics and the VKORC1 genetic variation in a Brazilian population sample. These edge effect analyses are examined in relation to regulatory guidance development for association studies. We explain that omics science transcends the conventional laboratory bench space and includes a highly heterogeneous cast of stakeholders in society who have a plurality of interests that are often in conflict. Hence, communication of risk information in diagnostic medicine also demands attention to processes involved in production of knowledge and human values embedded in scientific practice, for example, why, how, by whom, and to what ends association studies are conducted, and standards are developed (or not). To ensure sustainability of omics innovations and forecast their trajectory, we need interventions to bridge the gap between omics laboratory and society. Appreciation of scholarship in history of omics science is one remedy to responsibly learn from the past to ensure a sustainable future in omics fields, both emerging (nutrigenomics, ecogenomics), and those that are more established (pharmacogenomics). Another measure to build public trust and sustainability of omics fields could be legislative initiatives to create a multidisciplinary oversight body, at arm's length from conflict of interests, to carry out independent, impartial, and transparent innovation analyses and prospective technology assessment.

SNP-VISTA: An interactive SNP visualization tool

PubMed Central

Shah, Nameeta; Teplitsky, Michael V; Minovitsky, Simon; Pennacchio, Len A; Hugenholtz, Philip; Hamann, Bernd; Dubchak, Inna L

2005-01-01

Background Recent advances in sequencing technologies promise to provide a better understanding of the genetics of human disease as well as the evolution of microbial populations. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are established genetic markers that aid in the identification of loci affecting quantitative traits and/or disease in a wide variety of eukaryotic species. With today's technological capabilities, it has become possible to re-sequence a large set of appropriate candidate genes in individuals with a given disease in an attempt to identify causative mutations. In addition, SNPs have been used extensively in efforts to study the evolution of microbial populations, and the recent application of random shotgun sequencing to environmental samples enables more extensive SNP analysis of co-occurring and co-evolving microbial populations. The program is available at [1]. Results We have developed and present two modifications of an interactive visualization tool, SNP-VISTA, to aid in the analyses of the following types of data: A. Large-scale re-sequence data of disease-related genes for discovery of associated and/or causative alleles (GeneSNP-VISTA). B. Massive amounts of ecogenomics data for studying homologous recombination in microbial populations (EcoSNP-VISTA). The main features and capabilities of SNP-VISTA are: 1) mapping of SNPs to gene structure; 2) classification of SNPs, based on their location in the gene, frequency of occurrence in samples and allele composition; 3) clustering, based on user-defined subsets of SNPs, highlighting haplotypes as well as recombinant sequences; 4) integration of protein evolutionary conservation visualization; and 5) display of automatically calculated recombination points that are user-editable. Conclusion The main strength of SNP-VISTA is its graphical interface and use of visual representations, which support interactive exploration and hence better understanding of large-scale SNP data by the user. PMID:16336665

A comparative in situ decomposition study using still born piglets and leaf litter from a deciduous forest.

PubMed

Olakanye, Ayodeji O; Nelson, Andrew; Ralebitso-Senior, T Komang

2017-07-01

A cadaver and dead plant organic matter, or litter, are rich energy sources that undergo a complex decomposition process, which impact the surrounding environmental microbiota. Advances in molecular microbiology techniques, with study of the 16S RNA genes, in particular, have highlighted the application of forensic ecogenomics in addressing key knowledge gaps. To investigate subsurface microbiome shifts as a novel tool to establish "postmortem microbial clock" and augment postmortem interval (PMI) and time-since-burial estimations, an in situ study with triplicate underground burials of piglets as human taphonomic proxies and Quercus robur leaf litter was monitored for 270 days. Changes in microbial community structure and composition were related directly to changes in seasonal temperature, with microbial shifts more pronounced during the summer. For example, Methylococcaceae could be used as seasonal bacterial indicators, from winter to summer, in establishing postmortem microbial clock for this site. Furthermore, Methylophilaceae (Methylophilales order) and Anaerolineaceae would differentiate for the piglet and leaf litter soils, respectively, 180 days after internment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soil metabarcoding identifies season indicators and differentiators of pig and Agrostis/Festuca spp. decomposition.

PubMed

Olakanye, Ayodeji O; Ralebitso-Senior, T Komang

2018-04-15

To gain a better understanding of how environmental microbiota respond to cadaver decomposition, a forensic ecogenomic study was made with soil only control and 4g each of Sus scrofa domesticus and plant litter (Agrostis/Festuca spp.) buried individually in a sandy clay loam (80g) in sealed but perforated triplicate microcosms. The next-generation sequencing (Illumina Miseq) of the soil bacteria (16S rRNA gene) clade revealed seasonal taxomonic shifts at genus-level for the pig and plant litter microcosms compared to the non-burial controls. In particular, numerical abundances of Sphingobacterium (5.9%) and Pedobacter (24.1%) for the pig microcosms, and Rhodanobacter (18.1%) and Shinella (4.6%) for the plant litter microcosms, identified bacterial genera that could be tracked to establish a (seasonal) subsurface postmortem microbial clock. Also, family-level resolution revealed members that were unique to the control, grass and pig soils after 365 days. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ecogenomic sensor reveals controls on N2-fixing microorganisms in the North Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Robidart, Julie C; Church, Matthew J; Ryan, John P; Ascani, François; Wilson, Samuel T; Bombar, Deniz; Marin, Roman; Richards, Kelvin J; Karl, David M; Scholin, Christopher A; Zehr, Jonathan P

2014-06-01

Nitrogen-fixing microorganisms (diazotrophs) are keystone species that reduce atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) gas to fixed nitrogen (N), thereby accounting for much of N-based new production annually in the oligotrophic North Pacific. However, current approaches to study N2 fixation provide relatively limited spatiotemporal sampling resolution; hence, little is known about the ecological controls on these microorganisms or the scales over which they change. In the present study, we used a drifting robotic gene sensor to obtain high-resolution data on the distributions and abundances of N2-fixing populations over small spatiotemporal scales. The resulting measurements demonstrate that concentrations of N2 fixers can be highly variable, changing in abundance by nearly three orders of magnitude in less than 2 days and 30 km. Concurrent shipboard measurements and long-term time-series sampling uncovered a striking and previously unrecognized correlation between phosphate, which is undergoing long-term change in the region, and N2-fixing cyanobacterial abundances. These results underscore the value of high-resolution sampling and its applications for modeling the effects of global change.

GeneAnalytics: An Integrative Gene Set Analysis Tool for Next Generation Sequencing, RNAseq and Microarray Data.

PubMed

Ben-Ari Fuchs, Shani; Lieder, Iris; Stelzer, Gil; Mazor, Yaron; Buzhor, Ella; Kaplan, Sergey; Bogoch, Yoel; Plaschkes, Inbar; Shitrit, Alina; Rappaport, Noa; Kohn, Asher; Edgar, Ron; Shenhav, Liraz; Safran, Marilyn; Lancet, Doron; Guan-Golan, Yaron; Warshawsky, David; Shtrichman, Ronit

2016-03-01

Postgenomics data are produced in large volumes by life sciences and clinical applications of novel omics diagnostics and therapeutics for precision medicine. To move from "data-to-knowledge-to-innovation," a crucial missing step in the current era is, however, our limited understanding of biological and clinical contexts associated with data. Prominent among the emerging remedies to this challenge are the gene set enrichment tools. This study reports on GeneAnalytics™ ( geneanalytics.genecards.org ), a comprehensive and easy-to-apply gene set analysis tool for rapid contextualization of expression patterns and functional signatures embedded in the postgenomics Big Data domains, such as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), RNAseq, and microarray experiments. GeneAnalytics' differentiating features include in-depth evidence-based scoring algorithms, an intuitive user interface and proprietary unified data. GeneAnalytics employs the LifeMap Science's GeneCards suite, including the GeneCards®--the human gene database; the MalaCards-the human diseases database; and the PathCards--the biological pathways database. Expression-based analysis in GeneAnalytics relies on the LifeMap Discovery®--the embryonic development and stem cells database, which includes manually curated expression data for normal and diseased tissues, enabling advanced matching algorithm for gene-tissue association. This assists in evaluating differentiation protocols and discovering biomarkers for tissues and cells. Results are directly linked to gene, disease, or cell "cards" in the GeneCards suite. Future developments aim to enhance the GeneAnalytics algorithm as well as visualizations, employing varied graphical display items. Such attributes make GeneAnalytics a broadly applicable postgenomics data analyses and interpretation tool for translation of data to knowledge-based innovation in various Big Data fields such as precision medicine, ecogenomics, nutrigenomics, pharmacogenomics, vaccinomics, and others yet to emerge on the postgenomics horizon.

[Landscape and ecological genomics].

PubMed

Tetushkin, E Ia

2013-10-01

Landscape genomics is the modern version of landscape genetics, a discipline that arose approximately 10 years ago as a combination of population genetics, landscape ecology, and spatial statistics. It studies the effects of environmental variables on gene flow and other microevolutionary processes that determine genetic connectivity and variations in populations. In contrast to population genetics, it operates at the level of individual specimens rather than at the level of population samples. Another important difference between landscape genetics and genomics and population genetics is that, in the former, the analysis of gene flow and local adaptations takes quantitative account of landforms and features of the matrix, i.e., hostile spaces that separate species habitats. Landscape genomics is a part of population ecogenomics, which, along with community genomics, is a major part of ecological genomics. One of the principal purposes of landscape genomics is the identification and differentiation of various genome-wide and locus-specific effects. The approaches and computation tools developed for combined analysis of genomic and landscape variables make it possible to detect adaptation-related genome fragments, which facilitates the planning of conservation efforts and the prediction of species' fate in response to expected changes in the environment.

Ecological genomics of adaptation and speciation in fungi.

PubMed

Leducq, Jean-Baptiste

2014-01-01

Fungi play a central role in both ecosystems and human societies. This is in part because they have adopted a large diversity of life history traits to conquer a wide variety of ecological niches. Here, I review recent fungal genomics studies that explored the molecular origins and the adaptive significance of this diversity. First, macro-ecological genomics studies revealed that fungal genomes were highly remodelled during their evolution. This remodelling, in terms of genome organization and size, occurred through the proliferation of non-coding elements, gene compaction, gene loss and the expansion of large families of adaptive genes. These features vary greatly among fungal clades, and are correlated with different life history traits such as multicellularity, pathogenicity, symbiosis, and sexual reproduction. Second, micro-ecological genomics studies, based on population genomics, experimental evolution and quantitative trait loci approaches, have allowed a deeper exploration of early evolutionary steps of the above adaptations. Fungi, and especially budding yeasts, were used intensively to characterize early mutations and chromosomal rearrangements that underlie the acquisition of new adaptive traits allowing them to conquer new ecological niches and potentially leading to speciation. By uncovering the ecological factors and genomic modifications that underline adaptation, these studies showed that Fungi are powerful models for ecological genomics (eco-genomics), and that this approach, so far mainly developed in a few model species, should be expanded to the whole kingdom.

Shifts in soil biodiversity-A forensic comparison between Sus scrofa domesticus and vegetation decomposition.

PubMed

Olakanye, Ayodeji O; Thompson, Tim; Ralebitso-Senior, T Komang

2015-12-01

In a forensic context, microbial-mediated cadaver decomposition and nutrient recycling cannot be overlooked. As a result, forensic ecogenomics research has intensified to gain a better understanding of cadaver/soil ecology interactions as a powerful potential tool for forensic practitioners. For this study, domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) (4g) and grass (Agrostis/Festuca spp) cuttings (4g) were buried (July 2013 to July 2014) in sandy clay loam (80 g) triplicates in sealed microcosms (127 ml; 50 × 70 cm) with parallel soil only controls. The effects of the two carbon sources were determined by monitoring key environmental factors and changes in soil bacterial (16S rRNA gene) and fungal (18S rRNA gene) biodiversity. Soil pH changes showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between the treatments. The measured ecological diversity indices (Shannon-Wiener, HꞋ; Simpson, D; and richness, S) of the 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene profiles also revealed differences between the treatments, with bacterial and fungal community dominance recorded in the presence of S. scrofa domesticus and grass trimming decomposition, respectively. In contrast, no statistically significant difference in evenness (p>0.05) was observed between the treatments. Copyright © 2015 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Omics Advances in Ecotoxicology.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaowei; Xia, Pu; Wang, Pingping; Yang, Jianghu; Baird, Donald J

2018-04-03

Toxic substances in the environment generate adverse effects at all levels of biological organization from the molecular level to community and ecosystem. Given this complexity, it is not surprising that ecotoxicologists have struggled to address the full consequences of toxic substance release at ecosystem level, due to the limits of observational and experimental tools to reveal the changes in deep structure at different levels of organization. -Omics technologies, consisting of genomics and ecogenomics, have the power to reveal, in unprecedented detail, the cellular processes of an individual or biodiversity of a community in response to environmental change with high sample/observation throughput. This represents a historic opportunity to transform the way we study toxic substances in ecosystems, through direct linkage of ecological effects with the systems biology of organisms. Three recent examples of -omics advance in the assessment of toxic substances are explored here: (1) the use of functional genomics in the discovery of novel molecular mechanisms of toxicity of chemicals in the environment; (2) the development of laboratory pipelines of dose-dependent, reduced transcriptomics to support high-throughput chemical testing at the biological pathway level; and (3) the use of eDNA metabarcoding approaches for assessing chemical effects on biological communities in mesocosm experiments and through direct observation in field monitoring. -Omics advances in ecotoxicological studies not only generate new knowledge regarding mechanisms of toxicity and environmental effect, improving the relevance and immediacy of laboratory toxicological assessment, but can provide a wholly new paradigm for ecotoxicology by linking ecological models to mechanism-based, systems biology approaches.

Soil fungal community shift evaluation as a potential cadaver decomposition indicator.

PubMed

Chimutsa, Monica; Olakanye, Ayodeji O; Thompson, Tim J U; Ralebitso-Senior, T Komang

2015-12-01

Fungi metabolise organic matter in situ and so alter both the bio-/physico-chemical properties and microbial community structure of the ecosystem. In particular, they are responsible reportedly for specific stages of decomposition. Therefore, this study aimed to extend previous bacteria-based forensic ecogenomics research by investigating soil fungal community and cadaver decomposition interactions in microcosms with garden soil (20 kg, fresh weight) and domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) carcass (5 kg, leg). Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm on days 3, 28 and 77 in the absence (control -Pg) and presence (experimental +Pg) of Sus scrofa domesticus and used for total DNA extraction and nested polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) profiling of the 18S rRNA gene. The Shannon-Wiener (H') community diversity indices were 1.25±0.21 and 1.49±0.30 for the control and experimental microcosms, respectively, while comparable Simpson species dominance (S) values were 0.65±0.109 and 0.75±0.015. Generally, and in contrast to parallel studies of the bacterial 16S rRNA and 16S rDNA profiles, statistical analysis (t-test) of the 18S dynamics showed no mathematically significant shifts in fungal community diversity (H'; p=0.142) and dominance (S; p=0.392) during carcass decomposition, necessitating further investigations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-throughput sequencing of black pepper root transcriptome.

PubMed

Gordo, Sheila M C; Pinheiro, Daniel G; Moreira, Edith C O; Rodrigues, Simone M; Poltronieri, Marli C; de Lemos, Oriel F; da Silva, Israel Tojal; Ramos, Rommel T J; Silva, Artur; Schneider, Horacio; Silva, Wilson A; Sampaio, Iracilda; Darnet, Sylvain

2012-09-17

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is one of the most popular spices in the world. It is used in cooking and the preservation of food and even has medicinal properties. Losses in production from disease are a major limitation in the culture of this crop. The major diseases are root rot and foot rot, which are results of root infection by Fusarium solani and Phytophtora capsici, respectively. Understanding the molecular interaction between the pathogens and the host's root region is important for obtaining resistant cultivars by biotechnological breeding. Genetic and molecular data for this species, though, are limited. In this paper, RNA-Seq technology has been employed, for the first time, to describe the root transcriptome of black pepper. The root transcriptome of black pepper was sequenced by the NGS SOLiD platform and assembled using the multiple-k method. Blast2Go and orthoMCL methods were used to annotate 10338 unigenes. The 4472 predicted proteins showed about 52% homology with the Arabidopsis proteome. Two root proteomes identified 615 proteins, which seem to define the plant's root pattern. Simple-sequence repeats were identified that may be useful in studies of genetic diversity and may have applications in biotechnology and ecology. This dataset of 10338 unigenes is crucially important for the biotechnological breeding of black pepper and the ecogenomics of the Magnoliids, a major group of basal angiosperms.

High-throughput sequencing of black pepper root transcriptome

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is one of the most popular spices in the world. It is used in cooking and the preservation of food and even has medicinal properties. Losses in production from disease are a major limitation in the culture of this crop. The major diseases are root rot and foot rot, which are results of root infection by Fusarium solani and Phytophtora capsici, respectively. Understanding the molecular interaction between the pathogens and the host’s root region is important for obtaining resistant cultivars by biotechnological breeding. Genetic and molecular data for this species, though, are limited. In this paper, RNA-Seq technology has been employed, for the first time, to describe the root transcriptome of black pepper. Results The root transcriptome of black pepper was sequenced by the NGS SOLiD platform and assembled using the multiple-k method. Blast2Go and orthoMCL methods were used to annotate 10338 unigenes. The 4472 predicted proteins showed about 52% homology with the Arabidopsis proteome. Two root proteomes identified 615 proteins, which seem to define the plant’s root pattern. Simple-sequence repeats were identified that may be useful in studies of genetic diversity and may have applications in biotechnology and ecology. Conclusions This dataset of 10338 unigenes is crucially important for the biotechnological breeding of black pepper and the ecogenomics of the Magnoliids, a major group of basal angiosperms. PMID:22984782

Comparison of biofilm ecology supporting growth of individual Naegleria species in a drinking water distribution system.

PubMed

Puzon, Geoffrey J; Wylie, Jason T; Walsh, Tom; Braun, Kalan; Morgan, Matthew J

2017-04-01

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are common components of microbial communities in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS). FLA are of clinical importance both as pathogens and as reservoirs for bacterial pathogens, so identifying the conditions promoting amoebae colonisation of DWDSs is an important public health concern for water utilities. We used high-throughput amplicon sequencing to compare eukaryotic and bacterial communities associated with DWDS biofilms supporting distinct FLA species (Naegleria fowleri, N. lovaniensis or Vermamoeba sp.) at sites with similar physical/chemical conditions. Eukaryote and bacterial communities were characteristics of different FLA species presence, and biofilms supporting Naegleria growth had higher bacterial richness and higher abundance of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes (bacteria), Nematoda and Rotifera (eukaryota). The eukaryotic community in the biofilms had the greatest difference in relation to the presence of N. fowleri, while the bacterial community identified individual bacterial families associated with the presence of different Naegleria species. Our results demonstrate that ecogenomics data provide a powerful tool for studying the microbial and meiobiotal content of biofilms, and, in these samples can effectively discriminate biofilm communities supporting pathogenic N. fowleri. The identification of microbial species associated with N. fowleri could further be used in the management and control of N. fowleri in DWDS. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Metagenomic Functional Potential Predicts Degradation Rates of a Model Organophosphorus Xenobiotic in Pesticide Contaminated Soils

PubMed Central

Jeffries, Thomas C.; Rayu, Smriti; Nielsen, Uffe N.; Lai, Kaitao; Ijaz, Ali; Nazaries, Loic; Singh, Brajesh K.

2018-01-01

Chemical contamination of natural and agricultural habitats is an increasing global problem and a major threat to sustainability and human health. Organophosphorus (OP) compounds are one major class of contaminant and can undergo microbial degradation, however, no studies have applied system-wide ecogenomic tools to investigate OP degradation or use metagenomics to understand the underlying mechanisms of biodegradation in situ and predict degradation potential. Thus, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the functional genes and genomic potential underpinning degradation and community responses to contamination. Here we address this knowledge gap by performing shotgun sequencing of community DNA from agricultural soils with a history of pesticide usage and profiling shifts in functional genes and microbial taxa abundance. Our results showed two distinct groups of soils defined by differing functional and taxonomic profiles. Degradation assays suggested that these groups corresponded to the organophosphorus degradation potential of soils, with the fastest degrading community being defined by increases in transport and nutrient cycling pathways and enzymes potentially involved in phosphorus metabolism. This was against a backdrop of taxonomic community shifts potentially related to contamination adaptation and reflecting the legacy of exposure. Overall our results highlight the value of using holistic system-wide metagenomic approaches as a tool to predict microbial degradation in the context of the ecology of contaminated habitats. PMID:29515526

Ecogenomics and potential biogeochemical impacts of globally abundant ocean viruses.

PubMed

Roux, Simon; Brum, Jennifer R; Dutilh, Bas E; Sunagawa, Shinichi; Duhaime, Melissa B; Loy, Alexander; Poulos, Bonnie T; Solonenko, Natalie; Lara, Elena; Poulain, Julie; Pesant, Stéphane; Kandels-Lewis, Stefanie; Dimier, Céline; Picheral, Marc; Searson, Sarah; Cruaud, Corinne; Alberti, Adriana; Duarte, Carlos M; Gasol, Josep M; Vaqué, Dolors; Bork, Peer; Acinas, Silvia G; Wincker, Patrick; Sullivan, Matthew B

2016-09-29

Ocean microbes drive biogeochemical cycling on a global scale. However, this cycling is constrained by viruses that affect community composition, metabolic activity, and evolutionary trajectories. Owing to challenges with the sampling and cultivation of viruses, genome-level viral diversity remains poorly described and grossly understudied, with less than 1% of observed surface-ocean viruses known. Here we assemble complete genomes and large genomic fragments from both surface- and deep-ocean viruses sampled during the Tara Oceans and Malaspina research expeditions, and analyse the resulting 'global ocean virome' dataset to present a global map of abundant, double-stranded DNA viruses complete with genomic and ecological contexts. A total of 15,222 epipelagic and mesopelagic viral populations were identified, comprising 867 viral clusters (defined as approximately genus-level groups). This roughly triples the number of known ocean viral populations and doubles the number of candidate bacterial and archaeal virus genera, providing a near-complete sampling of epipelagic communities at both the population and viral-cluster level. We found that 38 of the 867 viral clusters were locally or globally abundant, together accounting for nearly half of the viral populations in any global ocean virome sample. While two-thirds of these clusters represent newly described viruses lacking any cultivated representative, most could be computationally linked to dominant, ecologically relevant microbial hosts. Moreover, we identified 243 viral-encoded auxiliary metabolic genes, of which only 95 were previously known. Deeper analyses of four of these auxiliary metabolic genes (dsrC, soxYZ, P-II (also known as glnB) and amoC) revealed that abundant viruses may directly manipulate sulfur and nitrogen cycling throughout the epipelagic ocean. This viral catalog and functional analyses provide a necessary foundation for the meaningful integration of viruses into ecosystem models where they act as key players in nutrient cycling and trophic networks.

Ecogenomics and potential biogeochemical impacts of globally abundant ocean viruses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2016-09-01

Ocean microbes drive biogeochemical cycling on a global scale. However, this cycling is constrained by viruses that affect community composition, metabolic activity, and evolutionary trajectories. Owing to challenges with the sampling and cultivation of viruses, genome-level viral diversity remains poorly described and grossly understudied, with less than 1% of observed surface-ocean viruses known. Here we assemble complete genomes and large genomic fragments from both surface- and deep-ocean viruses sampled during the Tara Oceans and Malaspina research expeditions, and analyse the resulting ‘global ocean virome’ dataset to present a global map of abundant, double-stranded DNA viruses complete with genomic and ecological contexts. A total of 15,222 epipelagic and mesopelagic viral populations were identified, comprising 867 viral clusters (defined as approximately genus-level groups). This roughly triples the number of known ocean viral populations and doubles the number of candidate bacterial and archaeal virus genera, providing a near-complete sampling of epipelagic communities at both the population and viral-cluster level. We found that 38 of the 867 viral clusters were locally or globally abundant, together accounting for nearly half of the viral populations in any global ocean virome sample. While two-thirds of these clusters represent newly described viruses lacking any cultivated representative, most could be computationally linked to dominant, ecologically relevant microbial hosts. Moreover, we identified 243 viral-encoded auxiliary metabolic genes, of which only 95 were previously known. Deeper analyses of four of these auxiliary metabolic genes (dsrC, soxYZ, P-II (also known as glnB) and amoC) revealed that abundant viruses may directly manipulate sulfur and nitrogen cycling throughout the epipelagic ocean. This viral catalog and functional analyses provide a necessary foundation for the meaningful integration of viruses into ecosystem models where they act as key players in nutrient cycling and trophic networks.

Oil spill problems and sustainable response strategies through new technologies.

PubMed

Ivshina, Irena B; Kuyukina, Maria S; Krivoruchko, Anastasiya V; Elkin, Andrey A; Makarov, Sergey O; Cunningham, Colin J; Peshkur, Tatyana A; Atlas, Ronald M; Philp, James C

2015-07-01

Crude oil and petroleum products are widespread water and soil pollutants resulting from marine and terrestrial spillages. International statistics of oil spill sizes for all incidents indicate that the majority of oil spills are small (less than 7 tonnes). The major accidents that happen in the oil industry contribute only a small fraction of the total oil which enters the environment. However, the nature of accidental releases is that they highly pollute small areas and have the potential to devastate the biota locally. There are several routes by which oil can get back to humans from accidental spills, e.g. through accumulation in fish and shellfish, through consumption of contaminated groundwater. Although advances have been made in the prevention of accidents, this does not apply in all countries, and by the random nature of oil spill events, total prevention is not feasible. Therefore, considerable world-wide effort has gone into strategies for minimising accidental spills and the design of new remedial technologies. This paper summarizes new knowledge as well as research and technology gaps essential for developing appropriate decision-making tools in actual spill scenarios. Since oil exploration is being driven into deeper waters and more remote, fragile environments, the risk of future accidents becomes much higher. The innovative safety and accident prevention approaches summarized in this paper are currently important for a range of stakeholders, including the oil industry, the scientific community and the public. Ultimately an integrated approach to prevention and remediation that accelerates an early warning protocol in the event of a spill would get the most appropriate technology selected and implemented as early as possible - the first few hours after a spill are crucial to the outcome of the remedial effort. A particular focus is made on bioremediation as environmentally harmless, cost-effective and relatively inexpensive technology. Greater penetration into the remedial technologies market depends on the harmonization of environment legislation and the application of modern laboratory techniques, e.g. ecogenomics, to improve the predictability of bioremediation.

Extensive Copy-Number Variation of Young Genes across Stickleback Populations

PubMed Central

Eizaguirre, Christophe; Samonte, Irene E.; Kalbe, Martin; Lenz, Tobias L.; Stoll, Monika; Bornberg-Bauer, Erich; Milinski, Manfred; Reusch, Thorsten B. H.

2014-01-01

Duplicate genes emerge as copy-number variations (CNVs) at the population level, and remain copy-number polymorphic until they are fixed or lost. The successful establishment of such structural polymorphisms in the genome plays an important role in evolution by promoting genetic diversity, complexity and innovation. To characterize the early evolutionary stages of duplicate genes and their potential adaptive benefits, we combine comparative genomics with population genomics analyses to evaluate the distribution and impact of CNVs across natural populations of an eco-genomic model, the three-spined stickleback. With whole genome sequences of 66 individuals from populations inhabiting three distinct habitats, we find that CNVs generally occur at low frequencies and are often only found in one of the 11 populations surveyed. A subset of CNVs, however, displays copy-number differentiation between populations, showing elevated within-population frequencies consistent with local adaptation. By comparing teleost genomes to identify lineage-specific genes and duplications in sticklebacks, we highlight rampant gene content differences among individuals in which over 30% of young duplicate genes are CNVs. These CNV genes are evolving rapidly at the molecular level and are enriched with functional categories associated with environmental interactions, depicting the dynamic early copy-number polymorphic stage of genes during population differentiation. PMID:25474574

Spatially extensive microbial biogeography of the Indian Ocean provides insights into the unique community structure of a pristine coral atoll

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffries, Thomas C.; Ostrowski, Martin; Williams, Rohan B.; Xie, Chao; Jensen, Rachelle M.; Grzymski, Joseph J.; Senstius, Svend Jacob; Givskov, Michael; Hoeke, Ron; Philip, Gayle K.; Neches, Russell Y.; Drautz-Moses, Daniela I.; Chénard, Caroline; Paulsen, Ian T.; Lauro, Federico M.

2015-10-01

Microorganisms act both as drivers and indicators of perturbations in the marine environment. In an effort to establish baselines to predict the response of marine habitats to environmental change, here we report a broad survey of microbial diversity across the Indian Ocean, including the first microbial samples collected in the pristine lagoon of Salomon Islands, Chagos Archipelago. This was the first large-scale ecogenomic survey aboard a private yacht employing a ‘citizen oceanography’ approach and tools and protocols easily adapted to ocean going sailboats. Our data highlighted biogeographic patterns in microbial community composition across the Indian Ocean. Samples from within the Salomon Islands lagoon contained a community which was different even from adjacent samples despite constant water exchange, driven by the dominance of the photosynthetic cyanobacterium Synechococcus. In the lagoon, Synechococcus was also responsible for driving shifts in the metatranscriptional profiles. Enrichment of transcripts related to photosynthesis and nutrient cycling indicated bottom-up controls of community structure. However a five-fold increase in viral transcripts within the lagoon during the day, suggested a concomitant top-down control by bacteriophages. Indeed, genome recruitment against Synechococcus reference genomes suggested a role of viruses in providing the ecological filter for determining the β-diversity patterns in this system.

Spatially extensive microbial biogeography of the Indian Ocean provides insights into the unique community structure of a pristine coral atoll.

PubMed

Jeffries, Thomas C; Ostrowski, Martin; Williams, Rohan B; Xie, Chao; Jensen, Rachelle M; Grzymski, Joseph J; Senstius, Svend Jacob; Givskov, Michael; Hoeke, Ron; Philip, Gayle K; Neches, Russell Y; Drautz-Moses, Daniela I; Chénard, Caroline; Paulsen, Ian T; Lauro, Federico M

2015-10-20

Microorganisms act both as drivers and indicators of perturbations in the marine environment. In an effort to establish baselines to predict the response of marine habitats to environmental change, here we report a broad survey of microbial diversity across the Indian Ocean, including the first microbial samples collected in the pristine lagoon of Salomon Islands, Chagos Archipelago. This was the first large-scale ecogenomic survey aboard a private yacht employing a 'citizen oceanography' approach and tools and protocols easily adapted to ocean going sailboats. Our data highlighted biogeographic patterns in microbial community composition across the Indian Ocean. Samples from within the Salomon Islands lagoon contained a community which was different even from adjacent samples despite constant water exchange, driven by the dominance of the photosynthetic cyanobacterium Synechococcus. In the lagoon, Synechococcus was also responsible for driving shifts in the metatranscriptional profiles. Enrichment of transcripts related to photosynthesis and nutrient cycling indicated bottom-up controls of community structure. However a five-fold increase in viral transcripts within the lagoon during the day, suggested a concomitant top-down control by bacteriophages. Indeed, genome recruitment against Synechococcus reference genomes suggested a role of viruses in providing the ecological filter for determining the β-diversity patterns in this system.

Spatially extensive microbial biogeography of the Indian Ocean provides insights into the unique community structure of a pristine coral atoll

PubMed Central

Jeffries, Thomas C.; Ostrowski, Martin; Williams, Rohan B.; Xie, Chao; Jensen, Rachelle M.; Grzymski, Joseph J.; Senstius, Svend Jacob; Givskov, Michael; Hoeke, Ron; Philip, Gayle K.; Neches, Russell Y.; Drautz-Moses, Daniela I.; Chénard, Caroline; Paulsen, Ian T.; Lauro, Federico M.

2015-01-01

Microorganisms act both as drivers and indicators of perturbations in the marine environment. In an effort to establish baselines to predict the response of marine habitats to environmental change, here we report a broad survey of microbial diversity across the Indian Ocean, including the first microbial samples collected in the pristine lagoon of Salomon Islands, Chagos Archipelago. This was the first large-scale ecogenomic survey aboard a private yacht employing a ‘citizen oceanography’ approach and tools and protocols easily adapted to ocean going sailboats. Our data highlighted biogeographic patterns in microbial community composition across the Indian Ocean. Samples from within the Salomon Islands lagoon contained a community which was different even from adjacent samples despite constant water exchange, driven by the dominance of the photosynthetic cyanobacterium Synechococcus. In the lagoon, Synechococcus was also responsible for driving shifts in the metatranscriptional profiles. Enrichment of transcripts related to photosynthesis and nutrient cycling indicated bottom-up controls of community structure. However a five-fold increase in viral transcripts within the lagoon during the day, suggested a concomitant top-down control by bacteriophages. Indeed, genome recruitment against Synechococcus reference genomes suggested a role of viruses in providing the ecological filter for determining the β-diversity patterns in this system. PMID:26481089

Ecogenomic characterization of a marine microorganism belonging to a Firmicutes lineage that is widespread in both terrestrial and oceanic subsurface environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungbluth, S.; Glavina del Rio, T.; Tringe, S. G.; Stepanauskas, R.; Rappe, M. S.

2015-12-01

Large-volumes of basalt-hosted fluids from the sediment-covered subseafloor were collected in July 2011 from a horizon extending 29-117 meters below the sediment-rock interface at borehole 1362B, as well as from a deep horizon extending 193-292 meters below the sediment-rock interface at borehole 1362A, which are two of the latest generation of borehole observatories on the Juan de Fuca Ridge flank in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Environmental DNA was sequenced from one fluid sample collected from each borehole, and a genomic bin related to the terrestrial Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator lineage within the Firmicutes phylum of bacteria was identified. The near-complete bacterial genome, herein named Candidatus Desulfopertinax inferamarinus, is composed of six scaffolds totaling 1.78 Mbp in length. Despite vast differences in geography and environment of origin, phylogenomic analysis indicate that D. inferamarinus and D. audaxviator form a monophyletic clade to the exclusion of all other sequenced genomes. Similar to its terrestrial relative, the draft genome of the marine D. inferamarinus revealed a motile, sporulating, sulfate-reducing, chemoautotrophic thermophile that is capable of synthesizing all amino acids and fixing inorganic carbon via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. Unlike the terrestrial clade, relatively few integrases and transposases were identified. The marine genome described here provides evidence that a life-style adapted to the isolated deep subsurface environment is a general feature of the broader, globally-distributed Desulforudis/Desulfopertinax lineage and provides insight into the adaptations required for microbial life in the marine versus terrestrial deep biospheres.

Acclimation to different depths by the marine angiosperm Posidonia oceanica: transcriptomic and proteomic profiles

PubMed Central

Dattolo, Emanuela; Gu, Jenny; Bayer, Philipp E.; Mazzuca, Silvia; Serra, Ilia A.; Spadafora, Antonia; Bernardo, Letizia; Natali, Lucia; Cavallini, Andrea; Procaccini, Gabriele

2013-01-01

For seagrasses, seasonal and daily variations in light and temperature represent the mains factors driving their distribution along the bathymetric cline. Changes in these environmental factors, due to climatic and anthropogenic effects, can compromise their survival. In a framework of conservation and restoration, it becomes crucial to improve our knowledge about the physiological plasticity of seagrass species along environmental gradients. Here, we aimed to identify differences in transcriptomic and proteomic profiles, involved in the acclimation along the depth gradient in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, and to improve the available molecular resources in this species, which is an important requisite for the application of eco-genomic approaches. To do that, from plant growing in shallow (−5 m) and deep (−25 m) portions of a single meadow, (i) we generated two reciprocal Expressed Sequences Tags (EST) libraries using a Suppressive Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) approach, to obtain depth/specific transcriptional profiles, and (ii) we identified proteins differentially expressed, using the highly innovative USIS mass spectrometry methodology, coupled with 1D-SDS electrophoresis and labeling free approach. Mass spectra were searched in the open source Global Proteome Machine (GPM) engine against plant databases and with the X!Tandem algorithm against a local database. Transcriptional analysis showed both quantitative and qualitative differences between depths. EST libraries had only the 3% of transcripts in common. A total of 315 peptides belonging to 64 proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. ATP synthase subunits were among the most abundant proteins in both conditions. Both approaches identified genes and proteins in pathways related to energy metabolism, transport and genetic information processing, that appear to be the most involved in depth acclimation in P. oceanica. Their putative rules in acclimation to depth were discussed. PMID:23785376

Acclimation to different depths by the marine angiosperm Posidonia oceanica: transcriptomic and proteomic profiles.

PubMed

Dattolo, Emanuela; Gu, Jenny; Bayer, Philipp E; Mazzuca, Silvia; Serra, Ilia A; Spadafora, Antonia; Bernardo, Letizia; Natali, Lucia; Cavallini, Andrea; Procaccini, Gabriele

2013-01-01

For seagrasses, seasonal and daily variations in light and temperature represent the mains factors driving their distribution along the bathymetric cline. Changes in these environmental factors, due to climatic and anthropogenic effects, can compromise their survival. In a framework of conservation and restoration, it becomes crucial to improve our knowledge about the physiological plasticity of seagrass species along environmental gradients. Here, we aimed to identify differences in transcriptomic and proteomic profiles, involved in the acclimation along the depth gradient in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, and to improve the available molecular resources in this species, which is an important requisite for the application of eco-genomic approaches. To do that, from plant growing in shallow (-5 m) and deep (-25 m) portions of a single meadow, (i) we generated two reciprocal Expressed Sequences Tags (EST) libraries using a Suppressive Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) approach, to obtain depth/specific transcriptional profiles, and (ii) we identified proteins differentially expressed, using the highly innovative USIS mass spectrometry methodology, coupled with 1D-SDS electrophoresis and labeling free approach. Mass spectra were searched in the open source Global Proteome Machine (GPM) engine against plant databases and with the X!Tandem algorithm against a local database. Transcriptional analysis showed both quantitative and qualitative differences between depths. EST libraries had only the 3% of transcripts in common. A total of 315 peptides belonging to 64 proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. ATP synthase subunits were among the most abundant proteins in both conditions. Both approaches identified genes and proteins in pathways related to energy metabolism, transport and genetic information processing, that appear to be the most involved in depth acclimation in P. oceanica. Their putative rules in acclimation to depth were discussed.

Comparative (Meta)genomic Analysis and Ecological Profiling of Human Gut-Specific Bacteriophage φB124-14

PubMed Central

Ogilvie, Lesley A.; Caplin, Jonathan; Dedi, Cinzia; Diston, David; Cheek, Elizabeth; Bowler, Lucas; Taylor, Huw; Ebdon, James; Jones, Brian V.

2012-01-01

Bacteriophage associated with the human gut microbiome are likely to have an important impact on community structure and function, and provide a wealth of biotechnological opportunities. Despite this, knowledge of the ecology and composition of bacteriophage in the gut bacterial community remains poor, with few well characterized gut-associated phage genomes currently available. Here we describe the identification and in-depth (meta)genomic, proteomic, and ecological analysis of a human gut-specific bacteriophage (designated φB124-14). In doing so we illuminate a fraction of the biological dark matter extant in this ecosystem and its surrounding eco-genomic landscape, identifying a novel and uncharted bacteriophage gene-space in this community. φB124-14 infects only a subset of closely related gut-associated Bacteroides fragilis strains, and the circular genome encodes functions previously found to be rare in viral genomes and human gut viral metagenome sequences, including those which potentially confer advantages upon phage and/or host bacteria. Comparative genomic analyses revealed φB124-14 is most closely related to φB40-8, the only other publically available Bacteroides sp. phage genome, whilst comparative metagenomic analysis of both phage failed to identify any homologous sequences in 136 non-human gut metagenomic datasets searched, supporting the human gut-specific nature of this phage. Moreover, a potential geographic variation in the carriage of these and related phage was revealed by analysis of their distribution and prevalence within 151 human gut microbiomes and viromes from Europe, America and Japan. Finally, ecological profiling of φB124-14 and φB40-8, using both gene-centric alignment-driven phylogenetic analyses, as well as alignment-free gene-independent approaches was undertaken. This not only verified the human gut-specific nature of both phage, but also indicated that these phage populate a distinct and unexplored ecological landscape within the human gut microbiome. PMID:22558115

Hawaii Solar and Wind Integration Studies | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Solar Integration Study and Oahu Wind Integration and Transmission Study investigated the effects of high penetrations of renewables on island grids. Hawaii Solar Integration Study The Hawaii Solar Integration Study was a detailed technical examination of the effects of high penetrations of solar and wind

Western Wind and Solar Integration Study | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Western Wind and Solar Integration Study Western Wind and Solar Integration Study Can we integrate large amounts of wind and solar energy into the electric power system of the West? That's the question explored by the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study, one of the largest such regional studies to date

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-24

[email protected] . Name of Committee: Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review... Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Sensorimotor Integration Study Section. Date: October 5...: Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Cognitive Neuroscience Study...

Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Using perform the Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study (ERGIS), a scenario-based study of four % targets under the study assumptions sometimes requires coordinating operations from Montreal to Miami and

India Renewable Integration Study | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

India Renewable Integration Study India Renewable Integration Study An NREL grid integration study Energy into India's Electric Grid Vol. I-National Study and Vol. II-Regional Study resolves many system modeling, the study explored operational impacts of meeting India's 2022 targets and identified

NREL Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Redefines What's

Science.gov Websites

Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Redefines What's Possible for Renewables (Text Version ) NREL Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Redefines What's Possible for Renewables (Text Version) This is a text version of the video "Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study

North American Renewable Integration Study | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

North American Renewable Integration Study North American Renewable Integration Study NREL's North American Renewable Integration Study (NARIS) will analyze pathways to modernize the North American power planning and operations will help guide and review the study. NARIS will examine the interconnection of U.S

76 FR 55400 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-07

...: Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Auditory System Study Section... Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Neurotoxicology and Alcohol Study Section. Date: October 13, 2011. Time... Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Developmental Brain Disorders Study Section...

Feasibility of Integration of Selected Aspects of (CBA) Chemistry, (CHEMS) Chemistry and (PSSC) Physics into a Two Year Physical Science Sequence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiasca, Michael Aldo

Compared, for selected outcomes, were integrated chemistry-physics courses with chemistry and physics courses taught separately. Three classes studying integrated Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC)-Chemical Bond Approach (CBA), and three classes studying integrated Physical Science Study Committee-Chemical Education Materials Study (CHEMS)…

An Approach to measuring Integrated Care within a Maternity Care System: Experiences from the Maternity Care Network Study and the Dutch Birth Centre Study.

PubMed

Boesveld, Inge C; Valentijn, Pim P; Hitzert, Marit; Hermus, Marieke A A; Franx, Arie; de Vries, Raymond G; Wiegers, Therese A; Bruijnzeels, Marc A

2017-06-20

Integrated care is considered to be a means to reduce costs, improve the quality of care and generate better patient outcomes. At present, little is known about integrated care in maternity care systems. We developed questionnaires to examine integrated care in two different settings, using the taxonomy of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care. The aim of this study was to explore the validity of these questionnaires. We used data collected between 2013 and 2015 from two studies: the Maternity Care Network Study (634 respondents) and the Dutch Birth Centre Study (56 respondents). We assessed the feasibility, discriminative validity, and reliability of the questionnaires. Both questionnaires showed good feasibility (overall missing rate < 20%) and reliability (Cronbach's Alpha coefficient > 0.70). Between-subgroups post-hoc comparisons showed statistically significant differences on integration profiles between regional networks (on all items, dimensions of integration and total integration score) and birth centres (on 50% of the items and dimensions of integration). Both questionnaires are feasible and can discriminate between sites with different integration profiles in The Netherlands. They offer an opportunity to better understand integrated care as one step in understanding the complexity of the concept.

An Approach to measuring Integrated Care within a Maternity Care System: Experiences from the Maternity Care Network Study and the Dutch Birth Centre Study

PubMed Central

Valentijn, Pim P.; Hitzert, Marit; Hermus, Marieke A.A.; Franx, Arie; de Vries, Raymond G.; Wiegers, Therese A.; Bruijnzeels, Marc A.

2017-01-01

Introduction: Integrated care is considered to be a means to reduce costs, improve the quality of care and generate better patient outcomes. At present, little is known about integrated care in maternity care systems. We developed questionnaires to examine integrated care in two different settings, using the taxonomy of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care. The aim of this study was to explore the validity of these questionnaires. Methods: We used data collected between 2013 and 2015 from two studies: the Maternity Care Network Study (634 respondents) and the Dutch Birth Centre Study (56 respondents). We assessed the feasibility, discriminative validity, and reliability of the questionnaires. Results: Both questionnaires showed good feasibility (overall missing rate < 20%) and reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient > 0.70). Between-subgroups post-hoc comparisons showed statistically significant differences on integration profiles between regional networks (on all items, dimensions of integration and total integration score) and birth centres (on 50% of the items and dimensions of integration). Discussion: Both questionnaires are feasible and can discriminate between sites with different integration profiles in The Netherlands. They offer an opportunity to better understand integrated care as one step in understanding the complexity of the concept. PMID:28970747

The Integration of Study and Work-Integrated Learning Experience through the Sequential, Embedded Completion of Tertiary Qualifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whannell, Patricia; Humphries, Judy; Whannell, Robert; Usher, Kim

2015-01-01

A number of different models have been developed to integrate both Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university study with a view to producing work-ready graduates. This paper describes one joint initiative which allows students to integrate their theoretical study and work-integrated learning (WIL) experience by supporting a sequential,…

78 FR 55752 - Center For Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-11

... Epidemiology Integrated Review Group, Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology Study Section. Date: October 8, 2013... Committee: Oncology 1-Basic Translational Integrated Review Group, Cancer Genetics Study Section. Date... Biology Integrated Review Group, Molecular and Integrative Signal Transduction Study Section. Date...

Human Papillomavirus Genome Integration and Head and Neck Cancer.

PubMed

Pinatti, L M; Walline, H M; Carey, T E

2018-06-01

We conducted a critical review of human papillomavirus (HPV) integration into the host genome in oral/oropharyngeal cancer, reviewed the literature for HPV-induced cancers, and obtained current data for HPV-related oral and oropharyngeal cancers. In addition, we performed studies to identify HPV integration sites and the relationship of integration to viral-host fusion transcripts and whether integration is required for HPV-associated oncogenesis. Viral integration of HPV into the host genome is not required for the viral life cycle and might not be necessary for cellular transformation, yet HPV integration is frequently reported in cervical and head and neck cancer specimens. Studies of large numbers of early cervical lesions revealed frequent viral integration into gene-poor regions of the host genome with comparatively rare integration into cellular genes, suggesting that integration is a stochastic event and that site of integration may be largely a function of chance. However, more recent studies of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) suggest that integration may represent an additional oncogenic mechanism through direct effects on cancer-related gene expression and generation of hybrid viral-host fusion transcripts. In HNSCC cell lines as well as primary tumors, integration into cancer-related genes leading to gene disruption has been reported. The studies have shown that integration-induced altered gene expression may be associated with tumor recurrence. Evidence from several studies indicates that viral integration into genic regions is accompanied by local amplification, increased expression in some cases, interruption of gene expression, and likely additional oncogenic effects. Similarly, reported examples of viral integration near microRNAs suggest that altered expression of these regulatory molecules may also contribute to oncogenesis. Future work is indicated to identify the mechanisms of these events on cancer cell behavior.

The Relative Effectiveness of Integrated Reading Study Strategy and Conceptual Physics Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taslidere, Erdal; Eryilmaz, Ali

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the combined and partial effects of the Integrated Reading/Study Strategy and Conceptual Physics Approach on ninth grade private high school students' achievement in and attitudes toward optics. The Integrated Reading/Study Strategy is a new strategy which was developed by integrating previously…

Solar Power Data for Integration Studies | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Power Data for Integration Studies Solar Power Data for Integration Studies NREL's Solar Power Data for Integration Studies are synthetic solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant data points for the United States representing the year 2006. The data are intended for use by energy professionals-such as

Grid Integration Studies: Advancing Clean Energy Planning and Deployment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Katz, Jessica; Chernyakhovskiy, Ilya

2016-07-01

Integrating significant variable renewable energy (VRE) into the grid requires an evolution in power system planning and operation. To plan for this evolution, power system stakeholders can undertake grid integration studies. This Greening the Grid document reviews grid integration studies, common elements, questions, and guidance for system planners.

The dynamics of multimodal integration: The averaging diffusion model.

PubMed

Turner, Brandon M; Gao, Juan; Koenig, Scott; Palfy, Dylan; L McClelland, James

2017-12-01

We combine extant theories of evidence accumulation and multi-modal integration to develop an integrated framework for modeling multimodal integration as a process that unfolds in real time. Many studies have formulated sensory processing as a dynamic process where noisy samples of evidence are accumulated until a decision is made. However, these studies are often limited to a single sensory modality. Studies of multimodal stimulus integration have focused on how best to combine different sources of information to elicit a judgment. These studies are often limited to a single time point, typically after the integration process has occurred. We address these limitations by combining the two approaches. Experimentally, we present data that allow us to study the time course of evidence accumulation within each of the visual and auditory domains as well as in a bimodal condition. Theoretically, we develop a new Averaging Diffusion Model in which the decision variable is the mean rather than the sum of evidence samples and use it as a base for comparing three alternative models of multimodal integration, allowing us to assess the optimality of this integration. The outcome reveals rich individual differences in multimodal integration: while some subjects' data are consistent with adaptive optimal integration, reweighting sources of evidence as their relative reliability changes during evidence integration, others exhibit patterns inconsistent with optimality.

Application of a faith-based integration tool to assess mental and physical health interventions.

PubMed

Saunders, Donna M; Leak, Jean; Carver, Monique E; Smith, Selina A

2017-01-01

To build on current research involving faith-based interventions (FBIs) for addressing mental and physical health, this study a) reviewed the extent to which relevant publications integrate faith concepts with health and b) initiated analysis of the degree of FBI integration with intervention outcomes. Derived from a systematic search of articles published between 2007 and 2017, 36 studies were assessed with a Faith-Based Integration Assessment Tool (FIAT) to quantify faith-health integration. Basic statistical procedures were employed to determine the association of faith-based integration with intervention outcomes. The assessed studies possessed (on average) moderate, inconsistent integration because of poor use of faith measures, and moderate, inconsistent use of faith practices. Analysis procedures for determining the effect of FBI integration on intervention outcomes were inadequate for formulating practical conclusions. Regardless of integration, interventions were associated with beneficial outcomes. To determine the link between FBI integration and intervention outcomes, additional analyses are needed.

Gelingende Integration? Anmerkungen zur Studie von D. Katzenbach u.a. uber den Hamburger Schulversuch "Integrative Grundschule" in ZfPad. 45 (1999), S. 567-590 (Successful Integration? Remarks on the Study by D. Katzenbach et al. on the Hamburg School Experiment "Integrative Elementary School" in ZfPad. 45 (1999), S. 567-590).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roeder, Peter Martin

1999-01-01

Critiques two normative premises that guide the researchers' interpretation of results from the Hamburg School Experiment, an empirical study that focused on mainstreaming elementary students diagnosed as needing special education: (1) integrating these children in normal classrooms is legitimated; and (2) social integration should not preclude…

An evaluation of programmed treatment-integrity errors during discrete-trial instruction.

PubMed

Carroll, Regina A; Kodak, Tiffany; Fisher, Wayne W

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of programmed treatment-integrity errors on skill acquisition for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during discrete-trial instruction (DTI). In Study 1, we identified common treatment-integrity errors that occur during academic instruction in schools. In Study 2, we simultaneously manipulated 3 integrity errors during DTI. In Study 3, we evaluated the effects of each of the 3 integrity errors separately on skill acquisition during DTI. Results showed that participants either demonstrated slower skill acquisition or did not acquire the target skills when instruction included treatment-integrity errors. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

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2012-05-16

..., Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Sensorimotor Integration Study Section. Date... and Developmental Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Neural Oxidative Metabolism and Death Study...: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Neurodifferentiation, Plasticity...

Improving integration for integrated coastal zone management: an eight country study.

PubMed

Portman, M E; Esteves, L S; Le, X Q; Khan, A Z

2012-11-15

Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is a widely accepted approach for sustainable management of the coastal environment. ICZM emphasizes integration across sectors, levels of government, uses, stakeholders, and spatial and temporal scales. While improving integration is central to progress in ICZM, the role of and the achievement of integration remain understudied. To further study these two points, our research analyzes the performance of specific mechanisms used to support ICZM in eight countries (Belgium, India, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, UK, and Vietnam). The assessment is based on a qualitative comparative analysis conducted through the use of two surveys. It focuses on five ICZM mechanisms (environmental impact assessment; planning hierarchy; setback lines; marine spatial planning, and regulatory commission) and their role in improving integration. Our findings indicate that certain mechanisms enhance specific types of integration more effectively than others. Environmental impact assessment enhances science-policy integration and can be useful to integrate knowledge across sectors. Planning hierarchy and regulatory commissions are effective mechanisms to integrate policies across government levels, with the latter also promoting public-government integration. Setback lines can be applied to enhance integration across landscape units. Marine spatial planning is a multi-faceted mechanism with the potential to promote all types of integration. Policy-makers should adopt the mechanisms that are suited to the type of integration needed. Results of this study also contribute to evidence-based coastal management by identifying the most common impediments related to the mechanisms of integration in the eight studied countries. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integration mechanisms and hospital efficiency in integrated health care delivery systems.

PubMed

Wan, Thomas T H; Lin, Blossom Yen-Ju; Ma, Allen

2002-04-01

This study analyzes integration mechanisms that affect system performances measured by indicators of efficiency in integrated delivery systems (IDSs) in the United States. The research question is, do integration mechanisms improve IDSs' efficiency in hospital care? American Hospital Association's Annual Survey (1998) and Dorenfest's Survey on Information Systems in Integrated Healthcare Delivery Systems (1998) were used to conduct the study, using IDS as the unit of analysis. A covariance structure equation model of the effects of system integration mechanisms on IDS performance was formulated and validated by an empirical examination of IDSs. The study sample includes 973 hospital-based integrated health care delivery systems operating in the United States, carried in the list of Dorenfests Survey on Information Systems in Integrated Health care Delivery Systems. The measurement indicators of system integration mechanisms are categorized into six related domains: informatic integration, case management, hybrid physician-hospital integration, forward integration, backward integration, and high tech medical services. The multivariate analysis reveals that integration mechanisms in system operation are positively correlated and positively affect IDSs' efficiency. The six domains of integration mechanisms account for 58.9% of the total variance in hospital performance. The service differentiation strategy such as having more high tech medical services have much stronger influences on efficiency than other integration mechanisms do. The beneficial effects of integration mechanisms have been realized in IDS performance. High efficiency in hospital care can be achieved by employing proper integration strategies in operations.

Turkish Preschool Teachers' Beliefs on Integrated Curriculum: Integration of Visual Arts with Other Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozturk, Elif; Erden, Feyza Tantekin

2011-01-01

This study investigates preschool teachers' beliefs about integrated curriculum and, more specifically, their beliefs about integration of visual arts with other activities. The participants of this study consisted of 255 female preschool teachers who are employed in preschools in Ankara, Turkey. For the study, teachers were asked to complete…

Integrated environmental planning in the Philippines: A case study of the Palawan Integrated Environmental Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ganapin, D.J. Jr.

1987-01-01

Integrated environmental planning was analyzed using the case of the Palawan Integrated Environmental Program in the Philippines. The study explores the relationship between development and environmental planning and evaluates the importance of organizational coordination and timing in the integration of these two concerns. Factors affecting the accomplishment of the objectives of integrated environmental planning were also studied. Two planning phases of the Palawan Integrated Environmental Program were observed using the case study approach. Observations of various planning participants-consultants, middle level agency personnel, heads of local agencies-were also considered. The integration of environmental considerations in development planning was found to bemore » beneficial to both environmental and development concerns. The experience showed that such integration requiring tight organizational coordination and the proper timing of activities and outputs. The success of the Palawan Integrated Environmental Program was also found to depend on effective communication, the political functionality of the government, the leadership of its executives, the presence of appropriate structures of authority, sufficiency of funds and manpower and the availability of appropriate environmental planning techniques. Recommendations are provided to further strengthen the integration of environmental considerations in development planning and increase the effectiveness of integrated environmental programs.« less

Towards a taxonomy for integrated care: a mixed-methods study

PubMed Central

Valentijn, Pim P.; Boesveld, Inge C.; van der Klauw, Denise M.; Ruwaard, Dirk; Struijs, Jeroen N.; Molema, Johanna J.W.; Bruijnzeels, Marc A.; Vrijhoef, Hubertus JM.

2015-01-01

Introduction Building integrated services in a primary care setting is considered an essential important strategy for establishing a high-quality and affordable health care system. The theoretical foundations of such integrated service models are described by the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care, which distinguishes six integration dimensions (clinical, professional, organisational, system, functional and normative integration). The aim of the present study is to refine the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care by developing a taxonomy that specifies the underlying key features of the six dimensions. Methods First, a literature review was conducted to identify features for achieving integrated service delivery. Second, a thematic analysis method was used to develop a taxonomy of key features organised into the dimensions of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care. Finally, the appropriateness of the key features was tested in a Delphi study among Dutch experts. Results The taxonomy consists of 59 key features distributed across the six integration dimensions of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care. Key features associated with the clinical, professional, organisational and normative dimensions were considered appropriate by the experts. Key features linked to the functional and system dimensions were considered less appropriate. Discussion This study contributes to the ongoing debate of defining the concept and typology of integrated care. This taxonomy provides a development agenda for establishing an accepted scientific framework of integrated care from an end-user, professional, managerial and policy perspective. PMID:25759607

Towards a taxonomy for integrated care: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Valentijn, Pim P; Boesveld, Inge C; van der Klauw, Denise M; Ruwaard, Dirk; Struijs, Jeroen N; Molema, Johanna J W; Bruijnzeels, Marc A; Vrijhoef, Hubertus Jm

2015-01-01

Building integrated services in a primary care setting is considered an essential important strategy for establishing a high-quality and affordable health care system. The theoretical foundations of such integrated service models are described by the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care, which distinguishes six integration dimensions (clinical, professional, organisational, system, functional and normative integration). The aim of the present study is to refine the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care by developing a taxonomy that specifies the underlying key features of the six dimensions. First, a literature review was conducted to identify features for achieving integrated service delivery. Second, a thematic analysis method was used to develop a taxonomy of key features organised into the dimensions of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care. Finally, the appropriateness of the key features was tested in a Delphi study among Dutch experts. The taxonomy consists of 59 key features distributed across the six integration dimensions of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care. Key features associated with the clinical, professional, organisational and normative dimensions were considered appropriate by the experts. Key features linked to the functional and system dimensions were considered less appropriate. This study contributes to the ongoing debate of defining the concept and typology of integrated care. This taxonomy provides a development agenda for establishing an accepted scientific framework of integrated care from an end-user, professional, managerial and policy perspective.

Laughter Filled the Classroom: Outcomes of Professional Development in Arts Integration for Elementary Teachers in Inclusion Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Katherine A.; Thompson, Janna Chevon

2017-01-01

This qualitative study examined teachers' experiences with an arts integration curriculum. This study considered the teachers' perceptions of arts integrations before and after being introduced to the concepts of arts integration. The teachers were provided with knowledge and tools to integrate the arts into general education curriculum and…

77 FR 57571 - Center For Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

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2012-09-18

...: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group; Genomics, Computational Biology and Technology... Reproductive Sciences Integrated Review Group; Cellular, Molecular and Integrative Reproduction Study Section...: Immunology Integrated Review Group; Cellular and Molecular Immunology--B Study Section. [[Page 57572

78 FR 26378 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

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2013-05-06

..., Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group; Prokaryotic Cell and Molecular Biology Study Section. Date..., Kidney and Urological Systems Integrated Review Group; Clinical, Integrative and Molecular... Respiratory Sciences Integrated Review Group; Lung Cellular, Molecular, and Immunobiology Study Section. Date...

Conceptualizing and measuring integration: findings from the health systems integration study.

PubMed

Gillies, R R; Shortell, S M; Anderson, D A; Mitchell, J B; Morgan, K L

1993-01-01

Given the pressures for health care reform, interest in the concept of integrated or organized delivery systems as a means to offer more coordinated cost-effective care is growing. This article has two primary objectives: (1) to clarify the different types of integration associated with the notion of an organized delivery system, and (2) to share the results from an ongoing study of 12 organized delivery systems. The findings indicate a moderate level of integration overall, particularly in the areas of culture, financial planning, and strategic planning. The study found that corporate staff respondents perceive their systems to be more integrated and effective than do operating unit managers, and that some functional integration areas are positively associated with both physician-system and clinical integration that, in turn, are positively related to each other. Overall, perceived integration was found to be positively associated with perceived effectiveness.

Psychological Community Integration of Individuals With Serious Mental Illness.

PubMed

Pahwa, Rohini; Kriegel, Liat

2018-06-01

As different facets of community integration as well as psychological and social integration are important dimensions of recovery for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). The primary aim of the study was to explore psychological integration for individuals with SMI into the mental health and mainstream (i.e., non-mental health) communities and its association with their social integration into both communities. The study used self-report and egocentric social network data from 60 individuals with SMI receiving community-based mental health services. The primary findings indicated that social integration connected to service providers was associated with psychological integration in both mental health and mainstream communities. Our data suggest that in addition to providing services, providers are doing something meaningful to impact their clients' lives well beyond mental health services. The study supports a bifurcated conceptualization of psychological integration and provides a more complex understanding of the community integration concept.

"We Are in This Together": Common Group Identity Predicts Majority Members' Active Acculturation Efforts to Integrate Immigrants.

PubMed

Kunst, Jonas R; Thomsen, Lotte; Sam, David L; Berry, John W

2015-10-01

Although integration involves a process of mutual accommodation, the role of majority groups is often downplayed to passive tolerance, leaving immigrants with the sole responsibility for active integration. However, we show that common group identity can actively involve majority members in this process across five studies. Study 1 showed that common identity positively predicted support of integration efforts; Studies 2 and 3 extended these findings, showing that it also predicted real behavior such as monetary donations and volunteering. A decrease in modern racism mediated the relations across these studies, and Studies 4 and 5 further demonstrated that it indeed mediated these effects over and above acculturation expectations and color-blindness, which somewhat compromised integration efforts. Moreover, the last two studies also demonstrated that common, but not dual, groups motivated integration efforts. Common identity appears crucial for securing majorities' altruistic efforts to integrate immigrants and, thus, for achieving functional multiculturalism. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Application of a faith-based integration tool to assess mental and physical health interventions

PubMed Central

Saunders, Donna M.; Leak, Jean; Carver, Monique E.; Smith, Selina A.

2017-01-01

Background To build on current research involving faith-based interventions (FBIs) for addressing mental and physical health, this study a) reviewed the extent to which relevant publications integrate faith concepts with health and b) initiated analysis of the degree of FBI integration with intervention outcomes. Methods Derived from a systematic search of articles published between 2007 and 2017, 36 studies were assessed with a Faith-Based Integration Assessment Tool (FIAT) to quantify faith-health integration. Basic statistical procedures were employed to determine the association of faith-based integration with intervention outcomes. Results The assessed studies possessed (on average) moderate, inconsistent integration because of poor use of faith measures, and moderate, inconsistent use of faith practices. Analysis procedures for determining the effect of FBI integration on intervention outcomes were inadequate for formulating practical conclusions. Conclusions Regardless of integration, interventions were associated with beneficial outcomes. To determine the link between FBI integration and intervention outcomes, additional analyses are needed. PMID:29354795

System integration case study : FAST-TRAC : preliminary IV deliverable : #2-systems integration case study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-02-12

This report focuses on the system integration aspect of the Transportation Information Management System (TIMS), a component of the FAST-TRAC project. The TIMS functions as the center of a communications network which integrates advanced traffic cont...

Integral Education for the Integral Child: A Qualitative Study of One Contemporary Experiment in Integral Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barket, Ann-Terese

2012-01-01

A growing interest among educators, families, and students to personalize education and nurture the development of whole child has led to a new movement in elementary education: integral education. This qualitative study reported on the work of one school in that movement, the Integral Elementary School in La Jolla, California, to illuminate what…

The study of middle school mathematics and science teachers' practices, perceptions, and attitudes related to mathematics and science integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leszczynski, Eliza

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the nature of mathematics and science connections made by sixth and seventh grade mathematics and science teachers in their classrooms. This study also examined the extent to which these connections represented mathematics and science integration and described the teachers' perceptions of and attitudes about mathematics and science integration. The primary data sources included classroom observations and teacher interviews. Findings suggested that teacher practices in making mathematics and science connections in the classroom incorporated many of the characteristics of integrated instruction presented in the literature. Teacher attitudes toward integration were found to be generally positive and supportive of integrated instruction. Mathematics teachers shared a common perception of integration being two separate lessons taught together in one lesson. In contrast, science teachers perceived integration to be a seamless blend of the two disciplines. The researcher related these perceptions and attitudes to the teachers' past experiences with mathematics and science connections and integration, and also to their practices of mathematics and science connections in the study.

Teacher Conceptions of Integrated STEM Education and How They Are Reflected in Integrated STEM Curriculum Writing and Classroom Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ring, Elizabeth A.

There has been a nation-wide push for an increase in the use of integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States. With this shift in epistemological, pedagogical, and curricular content, there is a need to develop an understanding as to what integrated STEM education is, particularly among practitioners. In this dissertation, inservice science teacher conceptions of integrated STEM education were investigated to help understand what these conceptions are and how these conceptions influence curriculum writing and implementation of integrated STEM curricula in classrooms. Teacher conceptions and their influences were investigated through three separate but interrelated studies. First, K-12 inservice science teachers' conceptions of integrated STEM were investigated through the analysis of their sketched models of integrated STEM education. How these models changed throughout an intensive, three-week professional development was also explored. The goal of this first study was to identify conceptual models of integrated STEM education held by inservice science teachers and to understand how these conceptions might change over the course of a professional development. Second, photo elicitation interviews (PEIs) and curricular analysis were used to provide rich descriptions of the conceptual models of integrated STEM education held by inservice science teachers, determine what components of STEM inservice science teachers found fundamental to integrating STEM in the classroom based on their conceptions, and explore how teachers' conceptions of STEM were used in their development of integrated STEM curricula. The goal of this second study was to better understand inservice science teachers' conceptual models of integrated STEM and explore how these models were realized in the teachers' curriculum writing. Third, a multiple-case study was conducted with three teachers to investigate how the conceptual models held by inservice science teachers were enacted in their implementation of an integrated STEM curriculum unit in their classrooms. The goal of this third study was to determine how, if at all, teachers enact their conceptual models of integrated STEM education in the classroom when implementing a STEM curriculum. Together, these three studies helped to broaden the research related to integrated STEM education in the literature. The progressive nature of the studies in this dissertation, as well as the diverse use of methodologies and data analysis, helped to expand STEM education research.

Integrative Learning: A Grounded Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonard, Jeannie Brown

2012-01-01

This article reports the findings from a study of undergraduate students in an academic program focused on integrative learning rather than interdisciplinarity. One aspect of this study included how students defined integrative learning. This participant-shaped understanding of integrative learning was broad and reflected a continuum of…

Integrating art into science education: a survey of science teachers' practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turkka, Jaakko; Haatainen, Outi; Aksela, Maija

2017-07-01

Numerous case studies suggest that integrating art and science education could engage students with creative projects and encourage students to express science in multitude of ways. However, little is known about art integration practices in everyday science teaching. With a qualitative e-survey, this study explores the art integration of science teachers (n = 66). A pedagogical model for science teachers' art integration emerged from a qualitative content analysis conducted on examples of art integration. In the model, art integration is characterised as integration through content and activities. Whilst the links in the content were facilitated either directly between concepts and ideas or indirectly through themes or artefacts, the integration through activity often connected an activity in one domain and a concept, idea or artefact in the other domain with the exception of some activities that could belong to both domains. Moreover, the examples of art integration in everyday classroom did not include expression of emotions often associated with art. In addition, quantitative part of the survey confirmed that integration is infrequent in all mapped areas. The findings of this study have implications for science teacher education that should offer opportunities for more consistent art integration.

Profile of Metacognition of Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers in Understanding the Concept of Integral Calculus with Regard Gender Differences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misu, L.; Budayasa, I. K.; Lukito, A.

2018-01-01

This research is to describe metacognition profile of female and male mathematics’ pre-service teachers in understanding the concept of integral calculus. The subjects of this study are one female and 1 male mathematics’ pre-service teachers who have studied integral calculus. This research type is an explorative study with the qualitative approach. The main data collection of this research was obtained by using Interview technique. In addition, there are supporting data which is the result of the written work of research subjects (SP) in understanding the question of integral calculus. The results of this study are as follows: There is a difference in metacognition profiles between male and female mathematics’ pre-service teachers in the understanding concept of integral calculus in the interpreting category, especially the definite integral concept. While in the category of exemplifying, there is no difference in metacognition profile between male and female mathematics’ pre-service teachers either the definite integral concept and the indefinite integral concept.

77 FR 54920 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

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2012-09-06

... . Name of Committee: Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review [email protected] . Name of Committee: Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review... Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Sensorimotor Integration Study Section. Date: October 2...

78 FR 54664 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

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2013-09-05

..., Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Sensorimotor Integration Study Section. Date... Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms and Sleep Study...

Shared or Integrated: Which Type of Integration is More Effective Improves Students’ Creativity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariyam, M.; Kaniawati, I.; Sriyati, S.

2017-09-01

Integrated science learning has various types of integration. This study aims to apply shared and integrated type of integration with project based learning (PjBL) model to improve students’ creativity on waste recycling theme. The research method used is a quasi experiment with the matching-only pre test-post test design. The samples of this study are 108 students consisting of 36 students (experiment class 1st), 35 students (experiment class 2nd) and 37 students (control class 3rd) at one of Junior High School in Tanggamus, Lampung. The results show that there is difference of creativity improvement in the class applied by PjBL model with shared type of integration, integrated type of integration and without any integration in waste recycling theme. Class applied by PjBL model with shared type of integration has the higher creativity improvement than the PjBL model with integrated type of integration and without any integration. Integrated science learning using shared type only combines 2 lessons, hence an intact concept is resulted. So, PjBL model with shared type of integration more effective improves students’ creativity than integrated type.

Suit study - The impact of VMS in subsystem integration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hill, B.; Watts, R.

1992-02-01

One of the thrusts of the Wright Laboratory/FIVE-sponsored Subsystem Integration Technology (SUIT) study is to investigate the impact of emerging vehicle management system (VMS) concepts on subsystem integration. This paper summarizes the issues relating to VMS/subsystem integration as examined during the Northrop SUIT study. Projected future weapon system requirements are identified and their impact on VMS and subsystem design interpreted. Integrated VMS/subsystem control and management functions are proposed. A candidate system VMS architecture satisfying the aforementioned weapon system requirements and providing the identified control and management functions is proposed. This architecture is used, together with the environmental control system, asmore » an illustrative subsystem example, to address the risks associated with the design, development, procurement, integration and testing of integrated VMS/subsystem concepts. The conclusion is that the development process requires an airframer to adopt the role of subsystem integrator, the consequences of which are discussed. 2 refs.« less

Thermalization threshold in models of 1D fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukerjee, Subroto; Modak, Ranjan; Ramswamy, Sriram

2013-03-01

The question of how isolated quantum systems thermalize is an interesting and open one. In this study we equate thermalization with non-integrability to try to answer this question. In particular, we study the effect of system size on the integrability of 1D systems of interacting fermions on a lattice. We find that for a finite-sized system, a non-zero value of an integrability breaking parameter is required to make an integrable system appear non-integrable. Using exact diagonalization and diagnostics such as energy level statistics and the Drude weight, we find that the threshold value of the integrability breaking parameter scales to zero as a power law with system size. We find the exponent to be the same for different models with its value depending on the random matrix ensemble describing the non-integrable system. We also study a simple analytical model of a non-integrable system with an integrable limit to better understand how a power law emerges.

Profile of Metacognition of Mathematics and Mathematics Education Students in Understanding the Concept of Integral Calculus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misu, La; Ketut Budayasa, I.; Lukito, Agung

2018-03-01

This study describes the metacognition profile of mathematics and mathematics education students in understanding the concept of integral calculus. The metacognition profile is a natural and intact description of a person’s cognition that involves his own thinking in terms of using his knowledge, planning and monitoring his thinking process, and evaluating his thinking results when understanding a concept. The purpose of this study was to produce the metacognition profile of mathematics and mathematics education students in understanding the concept of integral calculus. This research method is explorative method with the qualitative approach. The subjects of this study are mathematics and mathematics education students who have studied integral calculus. The results of this study are as follows: (1) the summarizing category, the mathematics and mathematics education students can use metacognition knowledge and metacognition skills in understanding the concept of indefinite integrals. While the definite integrals, only mathematics education students use metacognition skills; and (2) the explaining category, mathematics students can use knowledge and metacognition skills in understanding the concept of indefinite integrals, while the definite integrals only use metacognition skills. In addition, mathematics education students can use knowledge and metacognition skills in understanding the concept of both indefinite and definite integrals.

Towards an international taxonomy of integrated primary care: a Delphi consensus approach.

PubMed

Valentijn, Pim P; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M; Ruwaard, Dirk; Boesveld, Inge; Arends, Rosa Y; Bruijnzeels, Marc A

2015-05-22

Developing integrated service models in a primary care setting is considered an essential strategy for establishing a sustainable and affordable health care system. The Rainbow Model of Integrated Care (RMIC) describes the theoretical foundations of integrated primary care. The aim of this study is to refine the RMIC by developing a consensus-based taxonomy of key features. First, the appropriateness of previously identified key features was retested by conducting an international Delphi study that was built on the results of a previous national Delphi study. Second, categorisation of the features among the RMIC integrated care domains was assessed in a second international Delphi study. Finally, a taxonomy was constructed by the researchers based on the results of the three Delphi studies. The final taxonomy consists of 21 key features distributed over eight integration domains which are organised into three main categories: scope (person-focused vs. population-based), type (clinical, professional, organisational and system) and enablers (functional vs. normative) of an integrated primary care service model. The taxonomy provides a crucial differentiation that clarifies and supports implementation, policy formulation and research regarding the organisation of integrated primary care. Further research is needed to develop instruments based on the taxonomy that can reveal the realm of integrated primary care in practice.

Amplitude Integrated Electroencephalography Compared With Conventional Video EEG for Neonatal Seizure Detection: A Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

PubMed

Rakshasbhuvankar, Abhijeet; Rao, Shripada; Palumbo, Linda; Ghosh, Soumya; Nagarajan, Lakshmi

2017-08-01

This diagnostic accuracy study compared the accuracy of seizure detection by amplitude-integrated electroencephalography with the criterion standard conventional video EEG in term and near-term infants at risk of seizures. Simultaneous recording of amplitude-integrated EEG (2-channel amplitude-integrated EEG with raw trace) and video EEG was done for 24 hours for each infant. Amplitude-integrated EEG was interpreted by a neonatologist; video EEG was interpreted by a neurologist independently. Thirty-five infants were included in the analysis. In the 7 infants with seizures on video EEG, there were 169 seizure episodes on video EEG, of which only 57 were identified by amplitude-integrated EEG. Amplitude-integrated EEG had a sensitivity of 33.7% for individual seizure detection. Amplitude-integrated EEG had an 86% sensitivity for detection of babies with seizures; however, it was nonspecific, in that 50% of infants with seizures detected by amplitude-integrated EEG did not have true seizures by video EEG. In conclusion, our study suggests that amplitude-integrated EEG is a poor screening tool for neonatal seizures.

Understanding Care Integration from the Ground Up: Five Organizing Constructs that Shape Integrated Practices.

PubMed

Cohen, Deborah J; Balasubramanian, Bijal A; Davis, Melinda; Hall, Jennifer; Gunn, Rose; Stange, Kurt C; Green, Larry A; Miller, William L; Crabtree, Benjamin F; England, Mary Jane; Clark, Khaya; Miller, Benjamin F

2015-01-01

To provide empirical evidence on key organizing constructs shaping practical, real-world integration of behavior health and primary care to comprehensively address patients' medical, emotional, and behavioral health needs. In a comparative case study using an immersion-crystallization approach, a multidisciplinary team analyzed data from observations of practice operations, interviews, and surveys of practice members, and implementation diaries. Practices were drawn from 2 studies of practices attempting to integrate behavioral health and primary care: Advancing Care Together, a demonstration project of 11 practices located in Colorado, and the Integration Workforce Study, a study of 8 practices across the United States. We identified 5 key organizing constructs influencing integration of primary care and behavioral health: 1) Integration REACH (the extent to which the integration program was delivered to the identified target population), 2) establishment of continuum of care pathways addressing the location of care across the range of patient's severity of illness, 3) approach to patient transitions: referrals or warm handoffs, 4) location of the integration workforce, and 5) participants' mental model for integration. These constructs intertwine within an organization's historic and social context to produce locally adapted approaches to integrating care. Contextual factors, particularly practice type, influenced whether specialty mental health and substance use services were colocated within an organization. Interaction among 5 organizing constructs and practice context produces diverse expressions of integrated care. These constructs provide a framework for understanding how primary care and behavioral health services can be integrated in routine practice. © Copyright 2015 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

A study of the continuum of integration of mathematics content with science concepts at the middle school level in West Virginia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meisel, Edna Marie

The purpose of this study was to examine the practices and perceptions of regular education seventh grade middle school mathematics teachers in West Virginia concerning the integration of mathematics objectives with science concepts. In addition, this study also emphasized the use of integrated curriculum continuum models to study mathematics teachers' practices and perceptions for teaching mathematics objectives in connection with science concepts. It was argued that the integrated curriculum continuum model can be used to help educators begin to form a common definition of integrated curriculum. The population was described as the regular education seventh grade middle school mathematics teachers in West Virginia. The entire population (N = 173) was used as the participants in this study. Data was collected using an integrated curriculum practices and perceptions survey constructed by the researcher. This was a descriptive study that incorporated the Chi Square statistic to show trends in teacher practices and perceptions. Also, an ex post facto design, that incorporated the Mann-Whitney U statistic, was used to compare practices and perceptions between teachers grouped according to factors that influence teaching practices and perceptions. These factors included teaching certificate endorsement and teacher professional preparation. Results showed that the regular education seventh grade middle school mathematics teachers of West Virginia are teaching mathematics objectives mainly at a discipline-based level with no formal attempt for integration with science concepts. However, these teachers perceived that many of the mathematics objectives should be taught at varying levels of integration with science concepts. It was also shown that teachers who experienced professional preparation courses that emphasized integrated curriculum courses did teach many of the mathematics objectives at higher levels of integration with science than those teachers who did not experience integrated curriculum courses.

The path dependency theory: analytical framework to study institutional integration. The case of France.

PubMed

Trouvé, Hélène; Couturier, Yves; Etheridge, Francis; Saint-Jean, Olivier; Somme, Dominique

2010-06-30

The literature on integration indicates the need for an enhanced theorization of institutional integration. This article proposes path dependence as an analytical framework to study the systems in which integration takes place. PRISMA proposes a model for integrating health and social care services for older adults. This model was initially tested in Quebec. The PRISMA France study gave us an opportunity to analyze institutional integration in France. A qualitative approach was used. Analyses were based on semi-structured interviews with actors of all levels of decision-making, observations of advisory board meetings, and administrative documents. Our analyses revealed the complexity and fragmentation of institutional integration. The path dependency theory, which analyzes the change capacity of institutions by taking into account their historic structures, allows analysis of this situation. The path dependency to the Bismarckian system and the incomplete reforms of gerontological policies generate the coexistence and juxtaposition of institutional systems. In such a context, no institution has sufficient ability to determine gerontology policy and build institutional integration by itself. Using path dependence as an analytical framework helps to understand the reasons why institutional integration is critical to organizational and clinical integration, and the complex construction of institutional integration in France.

The observation of biology implemented by integrated religion values in integrated Islamic school (Decriptive Study in X Integrated Senior Hight School Tasikmalaya)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurjanah, E.; Adisendjaja, Y. H.; Kusumastuti, M. N.

2018-05-01

The learning Integrated Religious value is one of the efforts to increase the motivation of learning and building the student character. This study aims to describe the application of Biology learning integrated religion values in Integrated Islamic School. Research methods used in this research is descriptive. Participants in this study involved the headmaster, headmaster of curriculum, biology teachers, boarding school teachers, the lead of boarding schools, and students. The instruments used are interview, observation and the student questionnaire about learning biology. The results showed that learning in X school consists of two curriculums, there was the curriculum of national education and curriculum of boarding school. The curriculum of national education referred to 2013 curriculum and boarding school curriculum referred to the curriculum of Salafi boarding school (Kitab Kuning). However, in its learning process not delivered integrated. The main obstacle to implementing the learning integrated religious values are 1) the background of general teacher education did not know of any connection between biology subject and subject that are studied in boarding school; 2) schools did not form the teaching team; 3) unavailability of materials integrated religious values.

Interest in Integrative Medicine Among Postmenopausal Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer Patients in the EvAluate-TM Study

PubMed Central

Hack, Carolin C.; Fasching, Peter A.; Fehm, Tanja; de Waal, Johann; Rezai, Mahdi; Baier, Bernd; Baake, Gerold; Kolberg, Hans-Christian; Guggenberger, Martin; Warm, Mathias; Harbeck, Nadia; Wuerstlein, Rachel; Deuker, Jörg-Uwe; Dall, Peter; Richter, Barbara; Wachsmann, Grischa; Brucker, Cosima; Siebers, Jan W.; Fersis, Nikos; Kuhn, Thomas; Wolf, Christopher; Vollert, Hans-Walter; Breitbach, Georg-Peter; Janni, Wolfgang; Landthaler, Robert; Kohls, Andreas; Rezek, Daniela; Noesslet, Thomas; Fischer, Gunnar; Henschen, Stefan; Praetz, Thomas; Heyl, Volker; Kühn, Thorsten; Krauss, Thomas; Thomssen, Christoph; Hohn, Andre; Tesch, Hans; Mundhenke, Christoph; Hein, Alexander; Rauh, Claudia; Bayer, Christian M.; Jacob, Adib; Schmidt, Katja; Belleville, Erik; Hadji, Peyman; Brucker, Sara Y.; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Kümmel, Sherko; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Paepke, Daniela

2016-01-01

Background. Breast cancer patients often use complementary and alternative medicine, but few prospectively collected data on the topic are available specifically for postmenopausal breast cancer patients. A large prospective study was therefore conducted within a noninterventional study in order to identify the characteristics of patients interested in integrative medicine. Methods. The EvAluate-TM study is a prospective, multicenter noninterventional study in which treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole was evaluated in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive primary breast cancer. Between 2008 and 2009, 5045 postmenopausal patients were enrolled at 339 certified breast centers in Germany. As part of the data collection process, patients were asked at the baseline about their interest in and information needs relating to integrative medicine. Results. Of the 5045 patients recruited, 3411 responded to the questionnaire on integrative medicine and took part in the analysis, 1583 patients expressed an interest in integrative medicine, and 1828 patients declared no interest. Relevant predictors of interest in integrative medicine were age, body mass index, tumor size, previous chemotherapy, and use of concomitant medications for other medical conditions. Interest in integrative medicine declined highly significantly (P < .001) with age (<50 years, 74.1%; 50-60 years, 54.1%; >65 years, 38.0%). Patients in favor of integrative medicine were significantly less satisfied with the information received about individual treatments and antihormonal therapy. Patients with interest in integrative medicine were more often interested in rehabilitation and fitness, nutritional counseling, and additional support from self-help organizations. These women were mostly interested in receiving information about their disease and integrative medicine from a physician, rather than from other sources. Conclusions. This study shows that a considerable proportion of postmenopausal breast cancer patients are interested in integrative medicine. Information about integrative medicine should therefore be provided as part of patient care for this group. It was found that receiving concomitant medication for other medical conditions is one of the main predictors for women not being interested in integrative medicine. This group of patients may need special attention and individualized information about integrative medicine. Additionally, most patients were interested in obtaining the relevant information from their doctor. PMID:27627986

Interest in Integrative Medicine Among Postmenopausal Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Patients in the EvAluate-TM Study.

PubMed

Hack, Carolin C; Fasching, Peter A; Fehm, Tanja; de Waal, Johann; Rezai, Mahdi; Baier, Bernd; Baake, Gerold; Kolberg, Hans-Christian; Guggenberger, Martin; Warm, Mathias; Harbeck, Nadia; Wuerstlein, Rachel; Deuker, Jörg-Uwe; Dall, Peter; Richter, Barbara; Wachsmann, Grischa; Brucker, Cosima; Siebers, Jan W; Fersis, Nikos; Kuhn, Thomas; Wolf, Christopher; Vollert, Hans-Walter; Breitbach, Georg-Peter; Janni, Wolfgang; Landthaler, Robert; Kohls, Andreas; Rezek, Daniela; Noesslet, Thomas; Fischer, Gunnar; Henschen, Stefan; Praetz, Thomas; Heyl, Volker; Kühn, Thorsten; Krauss, Thomas; Thomssen, Christoph; Hohn, Andre; Tesch, Hans; Mundhenke, Christoph; Hein, Alexander; Rauh, Claudia; Bayer, Christian M; Jacob, Adib; Schmidt, Katja; Belleville, Erik; Hadji, Peyman; Brucker, Sara Y; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Kümmel, Sherko; Beckmann, Matthias W; Paepke, Daniela

2017-06-01

Breast cancer patients often use complementary and alternative medicine, but few prospectively collected data on the topic are available specifically for postmenopausal breast cancer patients. A large prospective study was therefore conducted within a noninterventional study in order to identify the characteristics of patients interested in integrative medicine. The EvAluate-TM study is a prospective, multicenter noninterventional study in which treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole was evaluated in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive primary breast cancer. Between 2008 and 2009, 5045 postmenopausal patients were enrolled at 339 certified breast centers in Germany. As part of the data collection process, patients were asked at the baseline about their interest in and information needs relating to integrative medicine. Of the 5045 patients recruited, 3411 responded to the questionnaire on integrative medicine and took part in the analysis, 1583 patients expressed an interest in integrative medicine, and 1828 patients declared no interest. Relevant predictors of interest in integrative medicine were age, body mass index, tumor size, previous chemotherapy, and use of concomitant medications for other medical conditions. Interest in integrative medicine declined highly significantly ( P < .001) with age (<50 years, 74.1%; 50-60 years, 54.1%; >65 years, 38.0%). Patients in favor of integrative medicine were significantly less satisfied with the information received about individual treatments and antihormonal therapy. Patients with interest in integrative medicine were more often interested in rehabilitation and fitness, nutritional counseling, and additional support from self-help organizations. These women were mostly interested in receiving information about their disease and integrative medicine from a physician, rather than from other sources. This study shows that a considerable proportion of postmenopausal breast cancer patients are interested in integrative medicine. Information about integrative medicine should therefore be provided as part of patient care for this group. It was found that receiving concomitant medication for other medical conditions is one of the main predictors for women not being interested in integrative medicine. This group of patients may need special attention and individualized information about integrative medicine. Additionally, most patients were interested in obtaining the relevant information from their doctor.

Let's Talk about Integration: A Study of Students' Understandings of Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laksov, Klara Bolander; McGrath, Cormac; Josephson, Anna

2014-01-01

Today, the knowledge concerning clinical reasoning is advanced enough to translate into curriculum interventions such as an integrated curriculum, in which science theory and clinical practice can be interwoven effectively. However, the interpretations of what integration means differ and the purpose of this study was to elicit how students…

Integrating Art into Science Education: A Survey of Science Teachers' Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turkka, Jaakko; Haatainen, Outi; Aksela, Maija

2017-01-01

Numerous case studies suggest that integrating art and science education could engage students with creative projects and encourage students to express science in multitude of ways. However, little is known about art integration practices in everyday science teaching. With a qualitative e-survey, this study explores the art integration of science…

A Model for Integrating New Technologies into Pre-Service Teacher Training Programs Ajman University (A Case Study)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaqour, Ali Zuhdi H.

2005-01-01

This study introduces a "Technology Integration Model" for a learning environment utilizing constructivist learning principles and integrating new technologies namely computers and the Internet into pre-service teacher training programs. The technology integrated programs and learning environments may assist learners to gain experiences…

Safety analytics for integrating crash frequency and real-time risk modeling for expressways.

PubMed

Wang, Ling; Abdel-Aty, Mohamed; Lee, Jaeyoung

2017-07-01

To find crash contributing factors, there have been numerous crash frequency and real-time safety studies, but such studies have been conducted independently. Until this point, no researcher has simultaneously analyzed crash frequency and real-time crash risk to test whether integrating them could better explain crash occurrence. Therefore, this study aims at integrating crash frequency and real-time safety analyses using expressway data. A Bayesian integrated model and a non-integrated model were built: the integrated model linked the crash frequency and the real-time models by adding the logarithm of the estimated expected crash frequency in the real-time model; the non-integrated model independently estimated the crash frequency and the real-time crash risk. The results showed that the integrated model outperformed the non-integrated model, as it provided much better model results for both the crash frequency and the real-time models. This result indicated that the added component, the logarithm of the expected crash frequency, successfully linked and provided useful information to the two models. This study uncovered few variables that are not typically included in the crash frequency analysis. For example, the average daily standard deviation of speed, which was aggregated based on speed at 1-min intervals, had a positive effect on crash frequency. In conclusion, this study suggested a methodology to improve the crash frequency and real-time models by integrating them, and it might inspire future researchers to understand crash mechanisms better. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and diabetes with HIV services: a systematic review.

PubMed

Haldane, Victoria; Legido-Quigley, Helena; Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon; Sigfrid, Louise; Murphy, Georgina; Ong, Suan Ee; Cervero-Liceras, Francisco; Watt, Nicola; Balabanova, Dina; Hogarth, Sue; Maimaris, Will; Buse, Kent; McKee, Martin; Piot, Peter; Perel, Pablo

2018-01-01

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), hypertension and diabetes together with HIV infection are among the major public health concerns worldwide. Health services for HIV and NCDs require health systems that provide for people's chronic care needs, which present an opportunity to coordinate efforts and create synergies between programs to benefit people living with HIV and/or AIDS and NCDs. This review included studies that reported service integration for HIV and/or AIDS with coronary heart diseases, chronic CVD, cerebrovascular diseases (stroke), hypertension or diabetes. We searched multiple databases from inception until October 2015. Articles were screened independently by two reviewers and assessed for risk of bias. 11,057 records were identified with 7,616 after duplicate removal. After screening titles and abstracts, 14 papers addressing 17 distinct interventions met the inclusion criteria. We categorized integration models by diseases (HIV with diabetes, HIV with hypertension and diabetes, HIV with CVD and finally HIV with hypertension and CVD and diabetes). Models also looked at integration from micro (patient focused integration) to macro (system level integrations). Most reported integration of hypertension and diabetes with HIV and AIDS services and described multidisciplinary collaboration, shared protocols, and incorporating screening activities into community campaigns. Integration took place exclusively at the meso-level, with no micro- or macro-level integrations described. Most were descriptive studies, with one cohort study reporting evaluative outcomes. Several innovative initiatives were identified and studies showed that CVD and HIV service integration is feasible. Integration should build on existing protocols and use the community as a locus for advocacy and health services, while promoting multidisciplinary teams, including greater involvement of pharmacists. There is a need for robust and well-designed studies at all levels - particularly macro-level studies, research looking at long-term outcomes of integration, and research in a more diverse range of countries.

Materials for Integrating Science and Social Studies with the Language Arts (Instructional Resources).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spiegel, Dixie Lee

1990-01-01

Discusses evaluating resources for integrating science and social studies with the language arts by using questions that teacher-reviewers used when evaluating those resources. Reviews trade books and other resources designed for the integration of science and social studies. (MG)

How Does Integrating Math and Social Studies Curriculum Affect Student Productivity and Engagement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balenger, April

2017-01-01

Can integrating curriculum have a positive effect on a student's overall engagement and productivity in the classroom? This research study sought to prove that theory. Specifically, the question asked for this study was if integrating math with social studies curriculum would increase student engagement and productivity? Math and social studies…

Future manned systems advanced avionics study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawamura, Bob; Radke, Kathie

1992-01-01

COTS+ was defined in this study as commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products, ruggedized and militarized components, and COTS technology. This study cites the benefits of integrating COTS+ in space, postulates a COTS+ integration methodology, and develops requirements and an architecture to achieve integration. Developmental needs and concerns were identified throughout the study; these needs, concerns, and recommendations relative to their abatement are subsequently presented for further action and study. The COTS+ concept appears workable in part or in totality. No COTS+ technology gaps were identified; however, radiation tolerance was cited as a concern, and the deferred maintenance issue resurfaced. Further study is recommended to explore COTS+ cost-effectiveness, maintenance philosophy, needs, concerns, and utility metrics. The generation of a development plan to further investigate and integrate COTS+ technology is recommended. A COTS+ transitional integration program is recommended. Sponsoring and establishing technology maturation programs and COTS+ engineering and standards committees are deemed necessary and are recommended for furthering COTS+ integration in space.

Comprehensive profiling of retroviral integration sites using target enrichment methods from historical koala samples without an assembled reference genome

PubMed Central

Alquezar-Planas, David E.; Ishida, Yasuko; Courtiol, Alexandre; Timms, Peter; Johnson, Rebecca N.; Lenz, Dorina; Helgen, Kristofer M.; Roca, Alfred L.; Hartman, Stefanie

2016-01-01

Background. Retroviral integration into the host germline results in permanent viral colonization of vertebrate genomes. The koala retrovirus (KoRV) is currently invading the germline of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) and provides a unique opportunity for studying retroviral endogenization. Previous analysis of KoRV integration patterns in modern koalas demonstrate that they share integration sites primarily if they are related, indicating that the process is currently driven by vertical transmission rather than infection. However, due to methodological challenges, KoRV integrations have not been comprehensively characterized. Results. To overcome these challenges, we applied and compared three target enrichment techniques coupled with next generation sequencing (NGS) and a newly customized sequence-clustering based computational pipeline to determine the integration sites for 10 museum Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) koala samples collected between the 1870s and late 1980s. A secondary aim of this study sought to identify common integration sites across modern and historical specimens by comparing our dataset to previously published studies. Several million sequences were processed, and the KoRV integration sites in each koala were characterized. Conclusions. Although the three enrichment methods each exhibited bias in integration site retrieval, a combination of two methods, Primer Extension Capture and hybridization capture is recommended for future studies on historical samples. Moreover, identification of integration sites shows that the proportion of integration sites shared between any two koalas is quite small. PMID:27069793

Knowledge integration, teamwork and performance in health care.

PubMed

Körner, Mirjam; Lippenberger, Corinna; Becker, Sonja; Reichler, Lars; Müller, Christian; Zimmermann, Linda; Rundel, Manfred; Baumeister, Harald

2016-01-01

Knowledge integration is the process of building shared mental models. The integration of the diverse knowledge of the health professions in shared mental models is a precondition for effective teamwork and team performance. As it is known that different groups of health care professionals often tend to work in isolation, the authors compared the perceptions of knowledge integration. It can be expected that based on this isolation, knowledge integration is assessed differently. The purpose of this paper is to test these differences in the perception of knowledge integration between the professional groups and to identify to what extent knowledge integration predicts perceptions of teamwork and team performance and to determine if teamwork has a mediating effect. The study is a multi-center cross-sectional study with a descriptive-explorative design. Data were collected by means of a staff questionnaire for all health care professionals working in the rehabilitation clinics. The results showed that there are significant differences in knowledge integration within interprofessional health care teams. Furthermore, it could be shown that knowledge integration is significantly related to patient-centered teamwork as well as to team performance. Mediation analysis revealed partial mediation of the effect of knowledge integration on team performance through teamwork. PRACTICAL/IMPLICATIONS: In practice, the results of the study provide a valuable starting point for team development interventions. This is the first study that explored knowledge integration in medical rehabilitation teams and its relation to patient-centered teamwork and team performance.

Authentic Diversity: A Case Study on College Students' Engagement with Diversity Competencies in an Integrative Studies Degree Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Kimberly

2009-01-01

This qualitative study provided a lens into the context of a senior capstone experience in an Integrative Studies degree program. The primary aim of this case study was to explore the use of capstone portfolio pedagogy as a reflection tool to demonstrate how students engage with authentic diversity competencies in an Integrative Studies degree…

Semantic Priming in Dutch Children: Word Meaning Integration and Study Modality Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Ven, Frauke; Takashima, Atsuko; Segers, Eliane; Verhoeven, Ludo

2017-01-01

Research in adults has shown that novel words are encoded rather swiftly but that their semantic integration occurs more slowly and that studying definitions presented in a written modality may benefit integration. It is unclear, however, how semantic integration proceeds in children, who (compared to adults) have more malleable brains and less…

Examining the Relationship among High-School Teachers' Technology Self-Efficacy, Attitudes towards Technology Integration, and Quality of Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Stacey

2013-01-01

This quantitative study explored the relationships among high-school teachers' (n = 74) technology self-efficacy, teachers' attitudes towards technology integration, and quality of teachers' technology integration into instruction. This study offered the unique perspectives of in-service high-school teachers as they have first-hand experience…

Integration of Technology into the Classroom: Case Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, D. LaMont, Ed.; Maddux, Cleborne D., Ed.; Liu, Leping, Ed.

This book contains the following case studies on the integration of technology in education: (1) "First Steps toward a Statistically Generated Information Technology Integration Model" (D. LaMont Johnson and Leping Liu); (2) "Case Studies: Are We Rejecting Rigor or Rediscovering Richness?" (Cleborne D. Maddux); (3)…

76 FR 22907 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-25

...: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group; Molecular Genetics B Study Section. Date: June 1-2... . Name of Committee: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group; Molecular Genetics A Study... Reproductive Sciences; Integrated Review Group. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology Study Section. Date: June...

76 FR 59142 - Guidance for Industry on Reproductive and Developmental Toxicities-Integrating Study Results To...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-23

...--Integrating Study Results To Assess Concerns; Availability AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION... industry entitled ``Reproductive and Developmental Toxicities--Integrating Study Results to Assess Concerns.'' This guidance describes an approach to estimating possible human developmental or reproductive risks...

Predictors of School Garden Integration: Factors Critical to Gardening Success in New York City.

PubMed

Burt, Kate Gardner; Burgermaster, Marissa; Jacquez, Raquel

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of integration of school gardens and identify factors that predict integration. 211 New York City schools completed a survey that collected demographic information and utilized the School Garden Integration Scale. A mean garden integration score was calculated, and multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine independent predictors of integration and assess relationships between individual integration characteristics and budget. The average integration score was 34.1 (of 57 points) and ranged from 8 to 53. Operating budget had significant influence on integration score, controlling for all other factors ( p < .0001). Partner organizations, evaluation/feedback, planning the physical space, and characteristics of the physical space were positively and significantly related to budget. The results of this study indicate that any garden can become well integrated, as budget is a modifiable factor. When adequate funding is secured, a well-integrated garden may be established with proper planning and sound implementation.

Teacher Preparedness in the Implementation of the Integrated Business Studies Curriculum in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jerotich, Florah; Kurgat, Susan J.; Kimutai, Chris K.

2017-01-01

The main purpose of this paper was to assess teacher preparedness in the implementation of the integrated Business Studies curriculum in public secondary schools in Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to: find out the level of preservice training of the Business Studies teachers implementing the integrated Business Studies curriculum and to find…

Integrated optics technology study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, B.

1982-01-01

The materials and processes available for the fabrication of single mode integrated electrooptical components are described. Issues included in the study are: (1) host material and orientation, (2) waveguide formation, (3) optical loss mechanisms, (4) wavelength selection, (5) polarization effects and control, (6) laser to integrated optics coupling,(7) fiber optic waveguides to integrated optics coupling, (8) souces, (9) detectors. The best materials, technology and processes for fabrication of integrated optical components for communications and fiber gyro applications are recommended.

Characterization of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Integration in the Horse Genome.

PubMed

Liu, Qiang; Wang, Xue-Feng; Ma, Jian; He, Xi-Jun; Wang, Xiao-Jun; Zhou, Jian-Hua

2015-06-19

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 has a unique integration profile in the human genome relative to murine and avian retroviruses. Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is another well-studied lentivirus that can also be used as a promising retro-transfection vector, but its integration into its native host has not been characterized. In this study, we mapped 477 integration sites of the EIAV strain EIAVFDDV13 in fetal equine dermal (FED) cells during in vitro infection. Published integration sites of EIAV and HIV-1 in the human genome were also analyzed as references. Our results demonstrated that EIAVFDDV13 tended to integrate into genes and AT-rich regions, and it avoided integrating into transcription start sites (TSS), which is consistent with EIAV and HIV-1 integration in the human genome. Notably, the integration of EIAVFDDV13 favored long interspersed elements (LINEs) and DNA transposons in the horse genome, whereas the integration of HIV-1 favored short interspersed elements (SINEs) in the human genome. The chromosomal environment near LINEs or DNA transposons potentially influences viral transcription and may be related to the unique EIAV latency states in equids. The data on EIAV integration in its natural host will facilitate studies on lentiviral infection and lentivirus-based therapeutic vectors.

Characterization of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Integration in the Horse Genome

PubMed Central

Liu, Qiang; Wang, Xue-Feng; Ma, Jian; He, Xi-Jun; Wang, Xiao-Jun; Zhou, Jian-Hua

2015-01-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 has a unique integration profile in the human genome relative to murine and avian retroviruses. Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is another well-studied lentivirus that can also be used as a promising retro-transfection vector, but its integration into its native host has not been characterized. In this study, we mapped 477 integration sites of the EIAV strain EIAVFDDV13 in fetal equine dermal (FED) cells during in vitro infection. Published integration sites of EIAV and HIV-1 in the human genome were also analyzed as references. Our results demonstrated that EIAVFDDV13 tended to integrate into genes and AT-rich regions, and it avoided integrating into transcription start sites (TSS), which is consistent with EIAV and HIV-1 integration in the human genome. Notably, the integration of EIAVFDDV13 favored long interspersed elements (LINEs) and DNA transposons in the horse genome, whereas the integration of HIV-1 favored short interspersed elements (SINEs) in the human genome. The chromosomal environment near LINEs or DNA transposons potentially influences viral transcription and may be related to the unique EIAV latency states in equids. The data on EIAV integration in its natural host will facilitate studies on lentiviral infection and lentivirus-based therapeutic vectors. PMID:26102582

The path dependency theory: analytical framework to study institutional integration. The case of France

PubMed Central

Trouvé, Hélène; Couturier, Yves; Etheridge, Francis; Saint-Jean, Olivier; Somme, Dominique

2010-01-01

Background The literature on integration indicates the need for an enhanced theorization of institutional integration. This article proposes path dependence as an analytical framework to study the systems in which integration takes place. Purpose PRISMA proposes a model for integrating health and social care services for older adults. This model was initially tested in Quebec. The PRISMA France study gave us an opportunity to analyze institutional integration in France. Methods A qualitative approach was used. Analyses were based on semi-structured interviews with actors of all levels of decision-making, observations of advisory board meetings, and administrative documents. Results Our analyses revealed the complexity and fragmentation of institutional integration. The path dependency theory, which analyzes the change capacity of institutions by taking into account their historic structures, allows analysis of this situation. The path dependency to the Bismarckian system and the incomplete reforms of gerontological policies generate the coexistence and juxtaposition of institutional systems. In such a context, no institution has sufficient ability to determine gerontology policy and build institutional integration by itself. Conclusion Using path dependence as an analytical framework helps to understand the reasons why institutional integration is critical to organizational and clinical integration, and the complex construction of institutional integration in France. PMID:20689740

Instruments Measuring Integrated Care: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties.

PubMed

Bautista, Mary Ann C; Nurjono, Milawaty; Lim, Yee Wei; Dessers, Ezra; Vrijhoef, Hubertus Jm

2016-12-01

Policy Points: Investigations on systematic methodologies for measuring integrated care should coincide with the growing interest in this field of research. A systematic review of instruments provides insights into integrated care measurement, including setting the research agenda for validating available instruments and informing the decision to develop new ones. This study is the first systematic review of instruments measuring integrated care with an evidence synthesis of the measurement properties. We found 209 index instruments measuring different constructs related to integrated care; the strength of evidence on the adequacy of the majority of their measurement properties remained largely unassessed. Integrated care is an important strategy for increasing health system performance. Despite its growing significance, detailed evidence on the measurement properties of integrated care instruments remains vague and limited. Our systematic review aims to provide evidence on the state of the art in measuring integrated care. Our comprehensive systematic review framework builds on the Rainbow Model for Integrated Care (RMIC). We searched MEDLINE/PubMed for published articles on the measurement properties of instruments measuring integrated care and identified eligible articles using a standard set of selection criteria. We assessed the methodological quality of every validation study reported using the COSMIN checklist and extracted data on study and instrument characteristics. We also evaluated the measurement properties of each examined instrument per validation study and provided a best evidence synthesis on the adequacy of measurement properties of the index instruments. From the 300 eligible articles, we assessed the methodological quality of 379 validation studies from which we identified 209 index instruments measuring integrated care constructs. The majority of studies reported on instruments measuring constructs related to care integration (33%) and patient-centered care (49%); fewer studies measured care continuity/comprehensive care (15%) and care coordination/case management (3%). We mapped 84% of the measured constructs to the clinical integration domain of the RMIC, with fewer constructs related to the domains of professional (3.7%), organizational (3.4%), and functional (0.5%) integration. Only 8% of the instruments were mapped to a combination of domains; none were mapped exclusively to the system or normative integration domains. The majority of instruments were administered to either patients (60%) or health care providers (20%). Of the measurement properties, responsiveness (4%), measurement error (7%), and criterion (12%) and cross-cultural validity (14%) were less commonly reported. We found <50% of the validation studies to be of good or excellent quality for any of the measurement properties. Only a minority of index instruments showed strong evidence of positive findings for internal consistency (15%), content validity (19%), and structural validity (7%); with moderate evidence of positive findings for internal consistency (14%) and construct validity (14%). Our results suggest that the quality of measurement properties of instruments measuring integrated care is in need of improvement with the less-studied constructs and domains to become part of newly developed instruments. © 2016 Milbank Memorial Fund.

Instruments Measuring Integrated Care: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties

PubMed Central

BAUTISTA, MARY ANN C.; NURJONO, MILAWATY; DESSERS, EZRA; VRIJHOEF, HUBERTUS JM

2016-01-01

Policy Points: Investigations on systematic methodologies for measuring integrated care should coincide with the growing interest in this field of research.A systematic review of instruments provides insights into integrated care measurement, including setting the research agenda for validating available instruments and informing the decision to develop new ones.This study is the first systematic review of instruments measuring integrated care with an evidence synthesis of the measurement properties.We found 209 index instruments measuring different constructs related to integrated care; the strength of evidence on the adequacy of the majority of their measurement properties remained largely unassessed. Context Integrated care is an important strategy for increasing health system performance. Despite its growing significance, detailed evidence on the measurement properties of integrated care instruments remains vague and limited. Our systematic review aims to provide evidence on the state of the art in measuring integrated care. Methods Our comprehensive systematic review framework builds on the Rainbow Model for Integrated Care (RMIC). We searched MEDLINE/PubMed for published articles on the measurement properties of instruments measuring integrated care and identified eligible articles using a standard set of selection criteria. We assessed the methodological quality of every validation study reported using the COSMIN checklist and extracted data on study and instrument characteristics. We also evaluated the measurement properties of each examined instrument per validation study and provided a best evidence synthesis on the adequacy of measurement properties of the index instruments. Findings From the 300 eligible articles, we assessed the methodological quality of 379 validation studies from which we identified 209 index instruments measuring integrated care constructs. The majority of studies reported on instruments measuring constructs related to care integration (33%) and patient‐centered care (49%); fewer studies measured care continuity/comprehensive care (15%) and care coordination/case management (3%). We mapped 84% of the measured constructs to the clinical integration domain of the RMIC, with fewer constructs related to the domains of professional (3.7%), organizational (3.4%), and functional (0.5%) integration. Only 8% of the instruments were mapped to a combination of domains; none were mapped exclusively to the system or normative integration domains. The majority of instruments were administered to either patients (60%) or health care providers (20%). Of the measurement properties, responsiveness (4%), measurement error (7%), and criterion (12%) and cross‐cultural validity (14%) were less commonly reported. We found <50% of the validation studies to be of good or excellent quality for any of the measurement properties. Only a minority of index instruments showed strong evidence of positive findings for internal consistency (15%), content validity (19%), and structural validity (7%); with moderate evidence of positive findings for internal consistency (14%) and construct validity (14%). Conclusions Our results suggest that the quality of measurement properties of instruments measuring integrated care is in need of improvement with the less‐studied constructs and domains to become part of newly developed instruments. PMID:27995711

A case study of a mathematics teacher's and science teacher's use of teacher wisdom in integrating middle school mathematics and science content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saam, Julie Reinhardt

The National Science Education Standards, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Curriculum Standards, the Interdisciplinary Team Organization structure and the Middle School movement collectively suggest to teachers to make connections between their subject areas. This case study of a middle school mathematics teacher and science teacher utilizes the framework of teacher wisdom to bring a unique perspective to the process of developing and implementing integrated curriculum. Data collection consisted of interviews with the teachers, students, and their principal; documents such lesson plans, team meeting minutes and teacher journal entries; and field notes acquired within team meetings and classroom instruction. The interpretations of this study reveal that teacher development of integrated curriculum occurs in two ways: naturally and intentionally. The natural label used to describe when teachers comfortably share information that could serve as connections between subjects. The intentional label used to describe when the teachers purposely plan integrated lessons and units. These findings also provide an image of middle school integration. This image exhibits more than connections between subject area content; it also shows connections with away-from-school skills and events, lifeskills, and lifelong guidelines. Although these teachers found it frustrating and overwhelming to meet the many views of integration, they assembled integration curriculum that followed their philosophy of education, coincided with their personal characteristics and met the needs of their students. The interpretations of this study reveal a new model of middle school integration. Teachers can use this model as a collection of integration examples. Integration researchers can use this model as a conceptual framework to analyze the integration efforts of middle level teachers. Additional research needs to focus on: developing new modeling and evaluation tools for teachers, evaluating middle school professional development programs, investigating middle school teachers' characteristics, and continuing the study of integration's worth. The results of this study and additional research may help: (a) administrators to target specific teachers for middle school positions, (b) educators to plan and implement new programs for inservice and preservice middle school teachers, and (c) teachers to experiment with new and innovative strategies for middle school integration.

Leading with integrity: a qualitative research study.

PubMed

Storr, Loma

2004-01-01

This research paper gives an account of a study into the relationship between leadership and integrity. There is a critical analysis of the current literature for effective, successful and ethical leadership particularly, integrity. The purpose and aim of this paper is to build on the current notions of leadership within the literature, debate contemporary approaches, focussing specifically on practices within the UK National Health Service in the early 21st century. This leads to a discussion of the literature on ethical leadership theory, which includes public service values, ethical relationships and leading with integrity. A small study was undertaken consisting of 18 interviews with leaders and managers within a District General HospitaL Using the Repertory Grid technique and analysis 15 themes emerged from the constructs elicited, which were compared to the literature for leadership and integrity and other studies. As well as finding areas of overlap, a number of additional constructs were elicited which suggested that effective leadership correlates with integrity and the presence of integrity will improve organisational effectiveness. The study identified that perceptions of leadership character and behaviour are used to judge the effectiveness and integrity of a leader. However, the ethical implications and consequences of leaders' scope of power and influence such as policy and strategy are somewhat neglected and lacking in debate. The findings suggest that leaders are not judged according to the ethical nature of decision making, and leading and managing complex change but that the importance of integrity and ethical leadership correlated with higher levels of hierarchical status and that it is assumed by virtue of status and success that leaders lead with integrity. Finally, the findings of this study seem to suggest that nurse leadership capability is developing as a consequence of recent national investment.

HPV16 integration probably contributes to cervical oncogenesis through interrupting tumor suppressor genes and inducing chromosome instability.

PubMed

Zhao, Jun-Wei; Fang, Fang; Guo, Yi; Zhu, Tai-Lin; Yu, Yun-Yun; Kong, Fan-Fei; Han, Ling-Fei; Chen, Dong-Sheng; Li, Fang

2016-11-25

The integration of human papilloma virus (HPV) into host genome is one of the critical steps that lead to the progression of precancerous lesion into cancer. However, the mechanisms and consequences of such integration events are poorly understood. This study aims to explore those questions by studying high risk HPV16 integration in women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Specifically, HPV integration status of 13 HPV16-infected patients were investigated by ligation-mediated PCR (DIPS-PCR) followed by DNA sequencing. In total, 8 HPV16 integration sites were identified inside or around genes associated with cancer development. In particular, the well-studied tumor suppressor genes SCAI was found to be integrated by HPV16, which would likely disrupt its expression and therefore facilitate the migration of tumor. On top of that, we observed several cases of chromosome translocation events coincide with HPV integration, which suggests the existence of chromosome instability. Additionally, short overlapping sequences were observed between viral derived and host derived fragments in viral-cellular junctions, indicating that integration was mediated by micro homology-mediated DNA repair pathway. Overall, our study suggests a model in which HPV16 might contribute to oncogenesis not only by disrupting tumor suppressor genes, but also by inducing chromosome instability.

Determining a Method of Enabling and Disabling the Integral Torque in the SDO Science and Inertial Mode Controllers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vess, Melissa F.; Starin, Scott R.

2007-01-01

During design of the SDO Science and Inertial mode PID controllers, the decision was made to disable the integral torque whenever system stability was in question. Three different schemes were developed to determine when to disable or enable the integral torque, and a trade study was performed to determine which scheme to implement. The trade study compared complexity of the control logic, risk of not reenabling the integral gain in time to reject steady-state error, and the amount of integral torque space used. The first scheme calculated a simplified Routh criterion to determine when to disable the integral torque. The second scheme calculates the PD part of the torque and looked to see if that torque would cause actuator saturation. If so, only the PD torque is used. If not, the integral torque is added. Finally, the third scheme compares the attitude and rate errors to limits and disables the integral torque if either of the errors is greater than the limit. Based on the trade study results, the third scheme was selected. Once it was decided when to disable the integral torque, analysis was performed to determine how to disable the integral torque and whether or not to reset the integrator once the integral torque was reenabled. Three ways to disable the integral torque were investigated: zero the input into the integrator, which causes the integral part of the PID control torque to be held constant; zero the integral torque directly but allow the integrator to continue integrating; or zero the integral torque directly and reset the integrator on integral torque reactivation. The analysis looked at complexity of the control logic, slew time plus settling time between each calibration maneuver step, and ability to reject steady-state error. Based on the results of the analysis, the decision was made to zero the input into the integrator without resetting it. Throughout the analysis, a high fidelity simulation was used to test the various implementation methods.

Integrated programs for mothers with substance abuse issues and their children: a systematic review of studies reporting on child outcomes.

PubMed

Niccols, Alison; Milligan, Karen; Smith, Ainsley; Sword, Wendy; Thabane, Lehana; Henderson, Joanna

2012-04-01

Integrated treatment programs (those that include on-site pregnancy-, parenting-, or child-related services with addiction services) were developed to break the intergenerational cycle of addiction, potential child maltreatment, and poor outcomes for children. To examine the impact and effects of integrated programs for women with substance abuse issues and their children, we performed a systematic review of studies published from 1990 to 2011. Literature search strategies included online bibliographic database searches, checking printed sources, and requests to researchers. Studies were included if all participants were mothers with substance abuse problems at baseline; the treatment program included at least 1 specific substance use treatment and at least 1 parenting or child treatment service; the study design was randomized, quasi-experimental, or cohort; and there were quantitative data on child outcomes. We summarized data on child development, growth, and emotional and behavioral outcomes. Thirteen studies (2 randomized trials, 3 quasi-experimental studies, 8 cohort studies; N=775 children) were included in the review. Most studies using pre-post design indicated improvements in child development (with small to large effects, ds=0.007-1.132) and emotional and behavioral functioning (with most available effect sizes being large, ds=0.652-1.132). Comparison group studies revealed higher scores for infants of women in integrated programs than those not in treatment, with regard to development and most growth parameters (length, weight, and head circumference; with all available effect sizes being large, ds=1.16-2.48). In studies comparing integrated to non-integrated programs, most improvements in emotional and behavioral functioning favored integrated programs and, where available, most effect sizes indicated that this advantage was small (ds=0.22-0.45). Available evidence supports integrated programs, as findings suggest that they are associated with improvements in child development, growth, and emotional and behavioral functioning. More research is required comparing integrated to non-integrated programs. This review highlights the need for improved methodology, study quality, and reporting to improve our understanding of how best to meet the needs of children of women with substance abuse issues. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drama Integration: Training Teachers to Use Process Drama in English Language Arts, Social Studies, and World Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Jonathan P.

2014-01-01

This research study documents and analyzes the experience of teachers who participated in a professional development program to integrate process drama into the teaching of English language arts, social studies, and world languages and cultures. The study addresses and builds upon extant literature in process drama, arts integration, drama…

Study Shows India Can Integrate 175 GW of Renewable Energy into Its

Science.gov Websites

Electricity Grid | News | News | NREL Study Shows India Can Integrate 175 GW of Renewable Energy into Its Electricity Grid News Release: Study Shows India Can Integrate 175 GW of Renewable Energy Corporation, Ltd. (POSOCO); and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) produced the study Greening the

Integrity in Biomedical Research: A Systematic Review of Studies in China.

PubMed

Yi, Nannan; Nemery, Benoit; Dierickx, Kris

2018-05-02

Recent empirical evidence has demonstrated that research misconduct occurs to a substantial degree in biomedical research. It has been suggested that scientific integrity is also of concern in China, but this seems to be based largely on anecdotal evidence. We, therefore, sought to explore the Chinese situation, by making a systematic review of published empirical studies on biomedical research integrity in China. One of our purposes was also to summarize the existing body of research published in Chinese. We searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, PubMed and Web of Science for potentially relevant studies, and included studies meeting our inclusion criteria, i.e. mainly those presenting empirically obtained data about the practice of research in China. All the data was extracted and synthesized using an inductive approach. Twenty-one studies were included for review. Two studies used qualitative methods (interviews) and nineteen studies used quantitative methods (questionnaires). Studies involved mainly medical postgraduates and nurses and they investigated awareness, attitudes, perceptions and experiences of research integrity and misconduct. Most of the participants in these 21 studies reported that research integrity is of great importance and that they obey academic norms during their research. Nevertheless, the occurrence of research misbehaviors, such as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, improper authorship and duplicate submission was also reported. Strengthening research integrity training, developing the governance system and improving the scientific evaluation system were areas of particular attention in several studies. Our review demonstrates that a substantial number of articles have been devoted to research integrity in China, but only a few studies provide empirical evidence. With more safeguard measures of research integrity being taken in China, it would be crucial to conduct more research to explore researchers' in-depth perceptions and evaluate the changes.

Integrating Educational Technologies into Teacher Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rawlins, Peter; Kehrwald, Benjamin

2014-01-01

This article is a case study of an integrated, experiential approach to improving pre-service teachers' understanding and use of educational technologies in one New Zealand teacher education programme. The study examines the context, design and implementation of a learning activity which integrated student-centred approaches, experiential…

The Integration of Trade Books into the Social Studies Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuhler, Carol J.

1992-01-01

Safe, noncontroversial social studies textbooks are neither meaningful nor necessary according to many students. As an alternative, teachers can integrate well-written trade books into the social studies curriculum. Well-researched diaries, journals, biographies, and autobiographies should become an integral part of the curriculum. (28 references)…

75 FR 53317 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-31

... Genetics Integrated Review Group, Prokaryotic Cell and Molecular Biology Study Section. Date: October 7... Committee: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group, Molecular Genetics C Study Section. Date... Translational Integrated Review Group, Cancer Genetics Study Section. Date: October 7-8, 2010. Time: 8 a.m. to 5...

Regional and National Grid Integration Studies Consistently Show Higher

Science.gov Websites

Levels of Renewables Are Possible | Energy Analysis | NREL Regional and National Grid Integration Studies Consistently Show Higher Levels of Renewables Are Possible Regional and National Grid Integration Studies Consistently Show Higher Levels of Renewables Are Possible Analysis Insights: April 2015

A Numerical Study of Hypersonic Forebody/Inlet Integration Problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, Ajay

1991-01-01

A numerical study of hypersonic forebody/inlet integration problem is presented in the form of the view-graphs. The following topics are covered: physical/chemical modeling; solution procedure; flow conditions; mass flow rate at inlet face; heating and skin friction loads; 3-D forebogy/inlet integration model; and sensitivity studies.

Statistical Measures of Integrity in Online Testing: Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wielicki, Tom

2016-01-01

This paper reports on longitudinal study regarding integrity of testing in an online format as used by e-learning platforms. Specifically, this study explains whether online testing, which implies an open book format is compromising integrity of assessment by encouraging cheating among students. Statistical experiment designed for this study…

Faces of integration

PubMed Central

Williams, Paul; Sullivan, Helen

2009-01-01

Theme Two central themes permeate this paper—the interplay between structure and agency in integration processes and the extent to which this is mediated through sensemaking by individual actors. Case study The empirical base for the paper is provided by case study research from Wales which draws on examples of different types of integration in health and social care. The individual case studies highlight different interpretations of integration set against a background of the resources involved, processes employed and outcomes achieved. Discussion A wide ranging discussion exposes the complex interplay and dynamics between structural factors and the manner in which they enable or constrain integration, and individual actors realising their potential agency through leadership, professionalism and boundary spanning to influence outcomes. The importance of structure and agency complementing each other to determine effective integration is emphasised, together with the scope that is available for interpretation and meaning by individual actors within the contested discourse of integration. PMID:20087420

A systematic review of integrated working between care homes and health care services

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In the UK there are almost three times as many beds in care homes as in National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. Care homes rely on primary health care for access to medical care and specialist services. Repeated policy documents and government reviews register concern about how health care works with independent providers, and the need to increase the equity, continuity and quality of medical care for care homes. Despite multiple initiatives, it is not known if some approaches to service delivery are more effective in promoting integrated working between the NHS and care homes. This study aims to evaluate the different integrated approaches to health care services supporting older people in care homes, and identify barriers and facilitators to integrated working. Methods A systematic review was conducted using Medline (PubMed), CINAHL, BNI, EMBASE, PsycInfo, DH Data, Kings Fund, Web of Science (WoS incl. SCI, SSCI, HCI) and the Cochrane Library incl. DARE. Studies were included if they evaluated the effectiveness of integrated working between primary health care professionals and care homes, or identified barriers and facilitators to integrated working. Studies were quality assessed; data was extracted on health, service use, cost and process related outcomes. A modified narrative synthesis approach was used to compare and contrast integration using the principles of framework analysis. Results Seventeen studies were included; 10 quantitative studies, two process evaluations, one mixed methods study and four qualitative. The majority were carried out in nursing homes. They were characterised by heterogeneity of topic, interventions, methodology and outcomes. Most quantitative studies reported limited effects of the intervention; there was insufficient information to evaluate cost. Facilitators to integrated working included care home managers' support and protected time for staff training. Studies with the potential for integrated working were longer in duration. Conclusions Despite evidence about what inhibits and facilitates integrated working there was limited evidence about what the outcomes of different approaches to integrated care between health service and care homes might be. The majority of studies only achieved integrated working at the patient level of care and the focus on health service defined problems and outcome measures did not incorporate the priorities of residents or acknowledge the skills of care home staff. There is a need for more research to understand how integrated working is achieved and to test the effect of different approaches on cost, staff satisfaction and resident outcomes. PMID:22115126

Integration of Research Studies: Meta-Analysis of Research. Methods of Integrative Analysis; Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glass, Gene V.; And Others

Integrative analysis, or what is coming to be known as meta-analysis, is the integration of the findings of many empirical research studies of a topic. Meta-analysis differs from traditional narrative forms of research reviewing in that it is more quantitative and statistical. Thus, the methods of meta-analysis are merely statistical methods,…

A Quasi-Experimental Control Group Design Study to Determine the Effect of Integrating Character Education into a High School Social Studies Curriculum through Storytelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Russell L.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to offer evidence for the development of student character through the integration of historical storytelling into a social studies classroom. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine the effect of character education through historical storytelling integrated into a United States history curriculum on…

Life sciences payload definition and integration study, task C and D. Volume 2: Payload definition, integration, and planning studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The Life Sciences Payload Definition and Integration Study was composed of four major tasks. Tasks A and B, the laboratory definition phase, were the subject of prior NASA study. The laboratory definition phase included the establishment of research functions, equipment definitions, and conceptual baseline laboratory designs. These baseline laboratories were designated as Maxi-Nom, Mini-30, and Mini-7. The outputs of Tasks A and B were used by the NASA Life Sciences Payload Integration Team to establish guidelines for Tasks C and D, the laboratory integration phase of the study. A brief review of Tasks A and B is presented provide background continuity. The tasks C and D effort is the subject of this report. The Task C effort stressed the integration of the NASA selected laboratory designs with the shuttle sortie module. The Task D effort updated and developed costs that could be used by NASA for preliminary program planning.

Preparing prospective physics teachers to teach integrated science in junior high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiyanto; Hartono; Nugroho, S. E.

2018-03-01

The physics education study program especially prepares its students to teach physics in senior high school, however in reality many its graduates have become science teachers in junior high school. Therefore introducing integrated science to prospective physics teachers is important, because based on the curriculum, science in the junior high school should be taught integratedly. This study analyzed integrated science teaching materials that developed by prospective physics teachers. Results from this study showed that majority of the integration materials that developed by the prospective physics teachers focused on topic with an overlapping concept or theme as connecting between two or three subjects.

Integration of antenatal care services with health programmes in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review.

PubMed

de Jongh, Thyra E; Gurol-Urganci, Ipek; Allen, Elizabeth; Zhu, Nina Jiayue; Atun, Rifat

2016-06-01

Antenatal care (ANC) presents a potentially valuable platform for integrated delivery of additional health services for pregnant women-services that are vital to reduce the persistently high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is limited evidence on the impact of integrating health services with ANC to guide policy. This review assesses the impact of integration of postnatal and other health services with ANC on health services uptake and utilisation, health outcomes and user experience of care in LMICs. Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus, POPLINE and Global Health were searched for studies that compared integrated models for delivery of postnatal and other health services with ANC to non-integrated models. Risk of bias of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) criteria and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, depending on the study design. Due to high heterogeneity no meta-analysis could be conducted. Results are presented narratively. 12 studies were included in the review. Limited evidence, with moderate- to high-risk of bias, suggests that integrated service delivery results in improved uptake of essential health services for women, earlier initiation of treatment, and better health outcomes. Women also reported improved satisfaction with integrated services. The reported evidence is largely based on non-randomised studies with poor generalizability, and therefore offers very limited policy guidance. More rigorously conducted and geographically diverse studies are needed to better ascertain and quantify the health and economic benefits of integrating health services with ANC.

Students' perceptions of vertical and horizontal integration in a discipline-based dental school.

PubMed

Postma, T C; White, J G

2017-05-01

Integration is a key concern in discipline-based undergraduate dental curricula. Therefore, this study compared feedback on integration from students who participated in different instructional designs in a Comprehensive Patient Care course. The study was conducted at the University of Pretoria (2009-2011). Third-year cohorts (Cohorts A, B and C) participated in pre-clinical case-based learning, whilst fourth-year cohorts (Cohorts D and E) received didactic teaching in Comprehensive Patient Care. Cohorts A, D and E practised clinical Comprehensive Patient Care in a discipline-based clinic. Cohort B conducted their Comprehensive Patient Care patient examinations in a dedicated facility supervised by dedicated faculty responsible to teach integration. Students had to indicate on visual analogue scales whether the way they were taught at the school helped them to integrate knowledge from the same (horizontal integration) and preceding (vertical integration) year of study. The end-points of the scales were defined as 'definitely' and 'not at all'. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to measure the differences between cohorts according to the year of study. Third-year case-based learning cohorts rated the horizontal integration close to 80/100 and vertical integration ranging from 64 to 71/100. In year four, Cohort B rated vertical and horizontal integration 9-15% higher (ANOVA, P < 0.05) than Cohorts A and D. In year five, Cohort A rated vertical and horizontal integration 11-18% higher (ANOVA, P < 0.05) than Cohorts D and E. Pre-clinical case-based learning and Comprehensive Patient Care supervised by dedicated faculty were associated with more favourable perceptions about integration in the discipline-based undergraduate dental curriculum. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Weather information integration in transportation management center (TMC) operations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-02

This report presents the results of the third phase of an on-going FHWA study on weather integration in Transportation Management Center (TMC) operations. The report briefly describes the earlier phases of the integration study, summarizes the findin...

The degree of integration of non-dispensing pharmacists in primary care practice and the impact on health outcomes: A systematic review.

PubMed

Hazen, Ankie C M; de Bont, Antoinette A; Boelman, Lia; Zwart, Dorien L M; de Gier, Johan J; de Wit, Niek J; Bouvy, Marcel L

2018-03-01

A non-dispensing pharmacist conducts clinical pharmacy services aimed at optimizing patients individual pharmacotherapy. Embedding a non-dispensing pharmacist in primary care practice enables collaboration, probably enhancing patient care. The degree of integration of non-dispensing pharmacists into multidisciplinary health care teams varies strongly between settings. The degree of integration may be a determinant for its success. This study investigates how the degree of integration of a non-dispensing pharmacist impacts medication related health outcomes in primary care. In this literature review we searched two electronic databases and the reference list of published literature reviews for studies about clinical pharmacy services performed by non-dispensing pharmacists physically co-located in primary care practice. We assessed the degree of integration via key dimensions of integration based on the conceptual framework of Walshe and Smith. We included English language studies of any design that had a control group or baseline comparison published from 1966 to June 2016. Descriptive statistics were used to correlate the degree of integration to health outcomes. The analysis was stratified for disease-specific and patient-centered clinical pharmacy services. Eighty-nine health outcomes in 60 comparative studies contributed to the analysis. The accumulated evidence from these studies shows no impact of the degree of integration of non-dispensing pharmacists on health outcomes. For disease specific clinical pharmacy services the percentage of improved health outcomes for none, partial and fully integrated NDPs is respectively 75%, 63% and 59%. For patient-centered clinical pharmacy services the percentage of improved health outcomes for none, partial and fully integrated NDPs is respectively 55%, 57% and 70%. Full integration adds value to patient-centered clinical pharmacy services, but not to disease-specific clinical pharmacy services. To obtain maximum benefits of clinical pharmacy services for patients with multiple medications and comorbidities, full integration of non-dispensing pharmacists should be promoted. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Experimental Study on Effectiveness of Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM) in Social Studies Education for Gifted and Talented Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atalay, Özlem; Kahveci, Nihat Gürel

2015-01-01

This experimental study examines the effects of Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM) on 4th grade elementary gifted and talented students' academic achievement, creativity and critical thinking (Control Group N= 10, Experimental Group N= 11) in the social studies classroom context, in Istanbul, Turkey. Integrated Curriculum Model was utilized to…

Wind Integration Data Sets | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Wind Integration Data Sets Wind Integration Data Sets NREL's wind integration data sets provide the Integration Data Sets Ten-minute time-series wind data for 2004, 2005, and 2006 to help energy professionals perform wind integration studies and estimate power production from hypothetical wind power plants. Access

Toward Meaningful Interdisciplinary Education: High School Teachers' Views of Mathematics and Science Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinberg, Andrea Elizabeth; Sample McMeeking, Laura Beth

2017-01-01

Numerous national initiatives call for interdisciplinary mathematics and science education, but few empirical studies have examined practical considerations for integrated instruction in high school settings. The purpose of this qualitative study was twofold. First, the study sought to describe how and to what extent teachers integrate mathematics…

Reading Nonfiction Science Literature with and without Arts Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCartney, Elizabeth; Mochal, Catherine; Boyd, Victoria; Montgomery, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

This study explores the integration of the arts into the teaching of science nonfiction texts during literacy instruction. Sixty-one elementary students (15 second graders, 25 third graders, and 21 fifth graders) attending schools of differing socio-economic levels participated in this study. The study examined the effects of arts-integration on…

Anthropology, Dance, and Education: Integrated Curriculum in Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Karli; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; Vissicaro, Pegge; Fredrickson, Lynda

2016-01-01

The integration of dance into K-12 curriculum can help students to learn better, encouraging deeper exploration and active engagement with content knowledge. The purpose of this intervention study was to determine how the integration of dance and social studies with an anthropological framework affects student learning of content knowledge in…

Cultural Generality of the Integration of Obligation and Other Motives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jen-Shou

2012-01-01

The purpose of the present study is twofold. One is to assess the cultural generality of the information integration rule for moral obligation. The other is to examine how people integrate moral obligation and self-interest. Two studies were implemented following the functional measurement methodology with Chinese samples. Study 1 replicated the…

An Action Research Exploration Integrating Student Choice and Arts Activities in a Sixth Grade Social Studies Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosky, Courtney; Curtis, Reagan

2008-01-01

We report on an action research study undertaken to explore how integrating the Arts in social studies education can increase student participation and motivation, and impact student achievement through that increased motivation and participation. Initial lesson plans addressed multiple intelligences while integrating Arts activities and were…

Innovative Pedagogy: What Are the Best Practices of Professors in STEM, Leadership, or Professional Programs Who Integrate Literature?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cal, Anita Marie

2017-01-01

This phenomenological study examines innovative pedagogy and the integration of literature by professors in STEM, leadership, and professional programs to foster leadership. The study probes university professors' personal experiences integrating literature, focusing on pedagogical strategies and practices. Many studies exist on the use of…

Conceptualizing Social Integration among Formerly Homeless Adults with Severe Mental Illness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Jack; Rosenheck, Robert A.

2012-01-01

The multiple dimensions of social integration among formerly homeless adults with severe mental illness have not been well-studied. Previous studies have focused on clinical measures or narrow components of social integration. We used a multisite study of chronically homeless adults who were provided housing to (a) identify the main factors…

An Evaluation of Programmed Treatment-integrity Errors during Discrete-trial Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Regina A.; Kodak, Tiffany; Fisher, Wayne W.

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of programmed treatment-integrity errors on skill acquisition for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during discrete-trial instruction (DTI). In Study 1, we identified common treatment-integrity errors that occur during academic instruction in schools. In Study 2, we simultaneously manipulated 3…

Grid Integration Webinars | Energy Systems Integration Facility | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Vision Future. The study used detailed nodal simulations of the Western Interconnection system with greater than 35% wind energy, based on scenarios from the DOE Wind Vision study to assess the operability Renewable Energy Integration in California April 14, 2016 Greg Brinkman discussed the Low Carbon Grid Study

Energy Systems Integration News | Energy Systems Integration Facility |

Science.gov Websites

power grid modeling scenarios Study Shows Eastern U.S. Power Grid Can Support Upwards of 30% Wind and newly released Eastern Renewable Energy Integration Study (ERGIS) shows that the power grid of the -based study of four potential wind and PV futures and associated operational impacts in the Eastern

The Examination of the Social Integration Perceptions of Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özgan, Habib

2018-01-01

This study was aimed to determine the social integration perceptions of undergraduate students and to examine them in terms of certain variables. It was a descriptive study with survey methodology. The data were obtained using the "Social Integration Scale." The study group consisted of 545 undergraduate students during the fall semester…

Costs of Physician-Hospital Integration

PubMed Central

Cho, Na-Eun

2015-01-01

Abstract Given that the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 is expected to generate forces toward physician-hospital integration, this study examined an understudied, albeit important, area of costs incurred in physician-hospital integration. Such costs were analyzed through 24 semi-structured interviews with physicians and hospital administrators in a multiple-case, inductive study. Two extreme types of physician-hospital arrangements were examined: an employed model (ie, integrated salary model, a group of physicians integrated by a hospital system) and a private practice (ie, a physician or group of physicians who are independent of economic or policy control). Interviews noted that integration leads to 3 evident costs, namely, monitoring, coordination, and cooperation costs. Improving our understanding of the kinds of costs that are incurred after physician-hospital integration will help hospitals and physicians to avoid common failures after integration. PMID:26496300

Predictors of visual-motor integration in children with intellectual disability.

PubMed

Memisevic, Haris; Sinanovic, Osman

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of sex, age, level and etiology of intellectual disability on visual-motor integration in children with intellectual disability. The sample consisted of 90 children with intellectual disability between 7 and15 years of age. Visual-motor integration was measured using the Acadia test of visual-motor integration. A multiple regression analysis was used for data analysis. The results of this study showed that sex, level of intellectual disability, and age were significant predictors of visual-motor integration. The etiology of intellectual disability did not play a significant role in predicting visual-motor integration. Visual-motor integration skills are very important for a child's overall level of functioning. Individualized programs for the remediation of visual-motor integration skills should be a part of the curriculum for children with intellectual disability.

Cognition before curriculum: rethinking the integration of basic science and clinical learning.

PubMed

Kulasegaram, Kulamakan Mahan; Martimianakis, Maria Athina; Mylopoulos, Maria; Whitehead, Cynthia R; Woods, Nicole N

2013-10-01

Integrating basic science and clinical concepts in the undergraduate medical curriculum is an important challenge for medical education. The health professions education literature includes a variety of educational strategies for integrating basic science and clinical concepts at multiple levels of the curriculum. To date, assessment of this literature has been limited. In this critical narrative review, the authors analyzed literature published in the last 30 years (1982-2012) using a previously published integration framework. They included studies that documented approaches to integration at the level of programs, courses, or teaching sessions and that aimed to improve learning outcomes. The authors evaluated these studies for evidence of successful integration and to identify factors that contribute to integration. Several strategies at the program and course level are well described but poorly evaluated. Multiple factors contribute to successful learning, so identifying how interventions at these levels result in successful integration is difficult. Evidence from session-level interventions and experimental studies suggests that integration can be achieved if learning interventions attempt to link basic and clinical science in a causal relationship. These interventions attend to how learners connect different domains of knowledge and suggest that successful integration requires learners to build cognitive associations between basic and clinical science. One way of understanding the integration of basic and clinical science is as a cognitive activity occurring within learners. This perspective suggests that learner-centered, content-focused, and session-level-oriented strategies can achieve cognitive integration.

A Comparison of Self-Reported Educational Technology Integration Proficiencies and Evidence-Based Educational Technology Integration Practices among Select Elementary Language Arts Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Monika R.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to use a variety of techniques and data sources, to describe and to compare the self-reported educational technology integration proficiency levels with the evidence-based educational technology integration practices among select elementary language arts teachers. A collective case study design (Stake, 1995) was used…

The definition of community integration: perspectives of people with brain injuries.

PubMed

McColl, M A; Carlson, P; Johnston, J; Minnes, P; Shue, K; Davies, D; Karlovits, T

1998-01-01

Despite considerable attention to community integration and related topics in the past decades, a clear definition of community integration continues to elude researchers and service providers. Common to most discussions of the topic, however, are three ideas: that integration involves relationships with others, independence in one's living situation and activities to fill one's time. The present study sought to expand this conceptualization of community integration by asking people with brain injuries for their own perspectives on community integration. This qualitative study resulted in a definition of community integration consisting of nine indicators: orientation, acceptance, conformity, close and diffuse relationships, living situation, independence, productivity and leisure. These indicators were empirically derived from the text of 116 interviews with people with moderate-severe brain injuries living in the community. Eighteen adults living in supported living programmes were followed for 1 year, to track their evolving definition of integration and the factors they felt were related to integration. The study also showed a general trend toward more positive evaluation over the year, and revealed that positive evaluation was frequently related to meeting new people and freedom from staff supervision. These findings are interpreted in the light of recommendations for community programmes.

CTE Teachers' Perspectives on the Process of CTE and Science Content Integration: A Grounded Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spindler, Matthew Kenneth

The integration of career and technical education (CTE) and academic curricular content that capitalizes on natural and inherent connections represents a challenge for CTE professionals. The research question that was used to guide the current study was: What are CTE teachers' perspectives of and experiences with the process of CTE and science content integration? And more specifically, to generate a grounded theory which explicates the process of CTE and science content integration from the perspective of CTE teachers. The CTE teachers expressed that the process of CTE and science content integration was a process of evolutionizing. From the perspective of the CTE teachers involved integrating CTE and science content resulted in their programs of study being adapted into something different than they were before the process of integration was begun. The CTE teachers revealed that the evolutions in their programs of study and themselves were associated with three other categories within the grounded theory: (a) connecting; (b) enacting; and (c) futuring. The process of CTE and science content integration represents a deep and complex episode for CTE teachers. The process of CTE and science content integration requires connecting to others, putting ideas into action, and an orienting towards the future.

Integrated Arts Curriculum in Hong Kong Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Marina Wai-yee

2012-01-01

This longitudinal study (2001-09) of two Hong Kong secondary schools highlights six issues with an integrated arts curriculum: first, integration of knowledge and skills negatively precedes the integration of learners' construction of meaning; second, integration is perceived as challenging the profession's status; third, teachers are unaccustomed…

Integrated Curriculum and Subject-based Curriculum: Achievement and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casady, Victoria

The research conducted for this mixed-method study, qualitative and quantitative, analyzed the results of an academic year-long study to determine whether the use of an integrated fourth grade curriculum would benefit student achievement in the areas of English language arts, social studies, and science more than a subject-based traditional curriculum. The research was conducted based on the international, national, and state test scores, which show a slowing or lack of growth. Through pre- and post-assessments, student questionnaires, and administrative interviews, the researcher analyzed the phenomenological experiences of the students to determine if the integrated curriculum was a beneficial restructuring of the curriculum. The research questions for this study focused on the achievement and attitudes of the students in the study and whether the curriculum they were taught impacted their achievement and attitudes over the course of one school year. The curricula for the study were organized to cover the current standards, where the integrated curriculum focused on connections between subject areas to help students make connections to what they are learning and the world beyond the classroom. The findings of this study indicated that utilizing the integrated curriculum could increase achievement as well as students' attitudes toward specific content areas. The ANOVA analysis for English language arts was not determined to be significant; although, greater growth in the students from the integrated curriculum setting was recorded. The ANOVA for social studies (0.05) and the paired t-tests (0.001) for science both determined significant positive differences. The qualitative analysis led to the discovery that the experiences of the students from the integrated curriculum setting were more positive. The evaluation of the data from this study led the researcher to determine that the integrated curriculum was a worthwhile endeavor to increase achievement and attitudes in fourth grade students.

An instructional package integrating science and social studies instruction at the fifth-grade level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hulley, Kathy Louise Sullivan

Integrative education is being implemented by classroom teachers who want to immerse students in an environment rich in problem-solving skills, critical analysis skills, ethics, valuing of knowledge, and communication of learning. Several subject areas in the curriculum have been integrated, such as literature with social studies and mathematics with science. The focus of this dissertation is on the integration of science and social studies at the fifth grade level using the Mississippi State Department of Education Curriculum Guidelines and Objectives (MSDE, 1995) and the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council (NRC), 1996). An instructional package of lesson plans that teachers can use as ideas to create their own plans for an integrated curriculum of science and social studies was devised. The Mississippi State Department of Education Curriculum Guidelines and Objectives for Social Studies (MSDE, 1995) at the fifth grade level contain fifteen competencies. Three standards from the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) were chosen. They include (a) science and technology, (b) science in personal and social perspectives, and (c) the history and nature of science. Each competency for social studies has three lesson plans written that integrate the three chosen standards from the National Science Education Standards. A total of forty-five lesson plans were written integrating science and social studies. Each lesson plan includes an objective, materials, procedures, and evaluation for teachers. Teachers are encouraged to use the lesson plans as a guide in creating their own lesson plans that would correspond to their school's particular curriculum guidelines. Consideration should be given to the learning levels and styles of their classroom. This qualitative study was done to create lesson plans that integrate science and social studies with the hope that teachers will expand upon them and implement them into their curricula.

Health Systems Integration of Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Study

PubMed Central

Kendall, Tamil; Langer, Ana; Bärnighausen, Till

2014-01-01

Objective: Both sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and HIV programs in sub-Saharan Africa are typically delivered vertically, operating parallel to national health systems. The objective of this study was to map the evidence on national and international strategies for integration of SRH and HIV services in sub-Saharan Africa and to develop a research agenda for future health systems integration. Methods: We examined the literature on national and international strategies to integrate SRH and HIV services using a scoping study methodology. Current policy frameworks, national HIV strategies and research, and gray literature on integration were mapped. Five countries in sub-Saharan Africa with experience of integrating SRH and HIV services were purposively sampled for detailed thematic analysis, according to the health systems functions of governance, policy and planning, financing, health workforce organization, service organization, and monitoring and evaluation. Results: The major international health policies and donor guidance now support integration. Most integration research has focused on linkages of SRH and HIV front-line services. Yet, the common problems with implementation are related to delayed or incomplete integration of higher level health systems functions: lack of coordinated leadership and unified national integration policies; separate financing streams for SRH and HIV services and inadequate health worker training, supervision and retention. Conclusions: Rigorous health systems research on the integration of SRH and HIV services is urgently needed. Priority research areas include integration impact, performance, and economic evaluation to inform the planning, financing, and coordination of integrated service delivery. PMID:25436826

A four phase development model for integrated care services in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Minkman, Mirella MN; Ahaus, Kees TB; Huijsman, Robbert

2009-01-01

Background Multidisciplinary and interorganizational arrangements for the delivery of coherent integrated care are being developed in a large number of countries. Although there are many integrated care programs worldwide, the process of developing these programs and interorganizational collaboration is described in the literature only to a limited extent. The purpose of this study is to explore how local integrated care services are developed in the Netherlands, and to conceptualize and operationalize a development model of integrated care. Methods The research is based on an expert panel study followed by a two-part questionnaire, designed to identify the development process of integrated care. Essential elements of integrated care, which were developed in a previous Delphi and Concept Mapping Study, were analyzed in relation to development process of integrated care. Results Integrated care development can be characterized by four developmental phases: the initiative and design phase; the experimental and execution phase; the expansion and monitoring phase; and the consolidation and transformation phase. Different elements of integrated care have been identified in the various developmental phases. Conclusion The findings provide a descriptive model of the development process that integrated care services can undergo in the Netherlands. The findings have important implications for integrated care services, which can use the model as an instrument to reflect on their current practices. The model can be used to help to identify improvement areas in practice. The model provides a framework for developing evaluation designs for integrated care arrangements. Further research is recommended to test the developed model in practice and to add international experiences. PMID:19261176

A Comprehensive Theory of Integration.

PubMed

Singer, Sara J; Kerrissey, Michaela; Friedberg, Mark; Phillips, Russell

2018-03-01

Efforts to transform health care delivery to improve care have increasingly focused on care integration. However, variation in how integration is defined has complicated efforts to design, synthesize, and compare studies of integration in health care. Evaluations of integration initiatives would be enhanced by describing them according to clear definitions of integration and specifying which empirical relationships they seek to test-whether among types of integration or between integration and outcomes of care. Drawing on previous work, we present a comprehensive theoretical model of relationships between types of integration and propose how to measure them.

Outcomes of Integrated Behavioral Health with Primary Care.

PubMed

Balasubramanian, Bijal A; Cohen, Deborah J; Jetelina, Katelyn K; Dickinson, L Miriam; Davis, Melinda; Gunn, Rose; Gowen, Kris; deGruy, Frank V; Miller, Benjamin F; Green, Larry A

2017-01-01

Integrating behavioral health and primary care is beneficial to patients and health systems. However, for integration to be widely adopted, studies demonstrating its benefits in community practices are needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate effect of integrated care, adapted to local contexts, on depression severity and patients' experience of care. This study used a convergent mixed-methods design, merging findings from a quasi-experimental study with patient interviews conducted as part of Advancing Care Together, a community demonstration project that created an innovation incubator for practices implementing evidence-based integration strategies. The study included 475 patients with a 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥10 at baseline, from 5 practices. Statistically significant reductions in mean PHQ-9 scores were observed in all practices, ranging from 2.72 to 6.46 points. Clinically, 50% of patients had a ≥5-point reduction in PHQ-9 score and 32% had a ≥50% reduction. This finding was corroborated by patient interviews that demonstrated positive experiences with behavioral health clinicians and acquiring new skills to cope with adverse situations at work and home. Integrating behavioral health and primary care, when adapted to fit into community practices, reduced depression severity and enhanced patients' experience of care. Integration is a worthwhile investment; clinical leaders, policymakers, and payers should support integration in their communities. © Copyright 2017 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

The Complexity of Health Service Integration: A Review of Reviews.

PubMed

Heyeres, Marion; McCalman, Janya; Tsey, Komla; Kinchin, Irina

2016-01-01

The aim of health service integration is to provide a sustainable and integrated health system that better meets the needs of the end user. Yet, definitions of health service integration, methods for integrating health services, and expected outcomes are varied. This review was commissioned by Queensland Health, the government department responsible for health service delivery in Queensland, Australia, to inform efforts to integrate their mental health services. This review reports on the characteristics, reported outcomes, and design quality of studies included in systematic reviews of health service integration research. The review was developed by systematically searching nine electronic databases to find peer-reviewed Australian and international systematic reviews with a focus on health service integration. Reviews were included if they were in the English language and published between 2000 and 2015. A standardized assessment tool was used to analyze the study design quality of included reviews. Data relating to the integration types, methods, and reported outcomes of integration were synthesized. Seventeen publications met the inclusion criteria. Eleven (65%) reviews were published during the past 5 years, which may indicate a trend for increased awareness of the need for service integration. The majority of reviews were published by researchers in the UK (8/47%), USA (3/18%), and Australia (3/18%). Included reviews focused on a variety of integration types, including integrated care pathways, governance models, integration of interventions, collaborative/integrated care models, and integration of different types of health care. Most (53%) of the reviews reported on the cost-effectiveness of service integration, e.g., positive results, no effect, or inconclusive. Only one of the reviews reported on the importance of consumer involvement. The overall design of 70% of the reviews was high, 18% medium, and 12% low. There is no "one size fits all" approach to health service integration. Instead, this literature review highlighted the complexity of service integration, which in most primary studies involved a range of strategies. Rigorous assessments of cost-effectiveness and reporting on consumer involvement are required in future research.

77 FR 28890 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-16

...: Oncology 2--Translational Clinical Integrated Review Group; Clinical Oncology Study Section. Date: June 11..., (301) 435-0682, [email protected] . Name of Committee: Oncology 1-Basic Translational Integrated... Committee: Oncology 2--Translational Clinical Integrated Review Group; Developmental Therapeutics Study...

Support Systems for Treatment Integrity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goense, Pauline Brigitta; Boendermaker, Leonieke; van Yperen, Tom

2016-01-01

Objective: This systematic review evaluates the content of effective support provided to practitioners of evidence-based interventions in order to establish and maintain treatment integrity. Method: Four articles covering six outcome studies are included in this review, these studies (1) adequately operationalized treatment integrity procedures…

77 FR 2739 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-19

... . Name of Committee: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group; Molecular Genetics A Study... Urological Systems Integrated Review Group; Kidney Molecular Biology and Genitourinary Organ Development... Sciences Integrated Review Group; Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology Study Section. Date: February 13...

Integrating HIV and substance use services: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Haldane, Victoria; Cervero-Liceras, Francisco; Chuah, Fiona LH; Ong, Suan Ee; Murphy, Georgina; Sigfrid, Louise; Watt, Nicola; Balabanova, Dina; Hogarth, Sue; Maimaris, Will; Buse, Kent; Piot, Peter; McKee, Martin; Perel, Pablo; Legido-Quigley, Helena

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Substance use is an important risk factor for HIV, with both concentrated in certain vulnerable and marginalized populations. Although their management differs, there may be opportunities to integrate services for substance use and HIV. In this paper we systematically review evidence from studies that sought to integrate care for people living with HIV and substance use problems. Methods: Studies were included if they evaluated service integration for substance use and HIV. We searched multiple databases from inception until October 2015. Articles were screened independently by two reviewers and assessed for risk of bias. Results and discussion: 11,057 records were identified, with 7616 after removal of duplicates. After screening titles and abstracts, 51 met the inclusion criteria. Integration models were categorized by location (HIV, substance use and other facilities), level of integration from mirco (integrated care delivered to individuals) to macro (system level integrations) and degree of integration from least (screening and counselling only) to most (care for HIV, substance use and/or other illnesses at the same facility). Most reported descriptive or cohort studies; in four randomized control trials integrated activities improved patient outcomes. There is potential for integrating services at all facility types, including mobile health services. While services offering screening only can achieve synergies, there are benefits from delivering integrated treatment for HIV and substance use, including ease of referral to other mental health and social services. Conclusions: Our review used a wide range of databases and conference archives to increase representation of papers from low- and middle-income countries. Limitations include the overrepresentation of studies from the United States, and the descriptive nature of the majority of papers. The evidence reviewed shows that greater integration offers important benefits in both patient and service outcomes but further research and outcome reporting is needed to better understand innovative and holistic care models at the complex intersection of substance use and HIV services. PMID:28692211

Integrating CHWs as part of the team leading diabetes group visits: A randomized controlled feasibility study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of integrating Community Health Workers (CHWs) as part of the team leading diabetes group visits. This was a randomized controlled study that integrated CHWs as part of the team leading diabetes group visits for low-income Hispanic adults (n=5...

Data Integrity-A Study of Current Regulatory Thinking and Action.

PubMed

Shafiei, Nader; De Montardy, Regis; Rivera-Martinez, Edwin

2015-01-01

In reaction to breaches of data integrity in the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory authorities have introduced inspection approaches or initiatives with the aim of reducing occurrences of data integrity problems. This review article-based on study of 65 cases of regulatory action from 2002 to 2014-provides an overview of current regulatory thinking and action on breaches of data integrity affecting GxP (health-related regulations) processes supporting non-clinical studies, clinical studies, laboratory controls, and production controls. These case studies largely represent position of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the regulatory agencies affiliated with the European Medicines Agency. Also discussed is the role of human factors as a potential source of data integrity problems. The article concludes by recommending some remedial controls that could be established to avoid or reduce occurrences of data integrity problems.Lay Abstract: In fulfilling their mission to protect public health, regulatory agencies (e.g., U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency) must establish confidence that medical products they approve are fit for their intended use. In so doing they rely on scientific and operational data generated during research, development, manufacturing, sales, marketing, distribution, and post-marketing surveillance activities. The level of confidence they build is directly proportional to the scientific validity and integrity of data presented to them by the sponsors of medical products. In this article we present analysis of 65 case studies that document regulatory action taken by various regulatory agencies on breach of data integrity between 2002 and 2014. The ensuing discussion on current trends largely represents position of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. The article concludes by proposing some remedial controls that could be established by pharmaceutical companies to avoid or reduce occurrences of data integrity problems. © PDA, Inc. 2015.

[The development of an integrated suicide-violence prevention program for adolescents].

PubMed

Park, Hyun Sook

2008-08-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated suicide-violence prevention program for adolescents. Another purpose was to evaluate the effects of the integrated suicide-violence prevention program on self-esteem, parent-child communication, aggression, and suicidal ideation in adolescents. The study employed a quasi-experimental design. Participants for the study were high school students, 24 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. Data was analyzed by using the SPSS/WIN. 11.5 program with chi2 test, t-test, and 2-way ANOVA. Participants in the integrated suicide-violence prevention program reported increased self-esteem scores, which was significantly different from those in the control group. Participants in the integrated suicide-violence prevention program reported decreased aggression and suicidal ideation scores, which was significantly different from those in the control group. The integrated suicide-violence prevention program was effective in improving self-esteem and decreasing aggression and suicidal ideation for adolescents. Therefore, this approach is recommended as the integrated suicide-violence prevention strategy for adolescents.

Foster home integration as a temporal indicator of relational well-being.

PubMed

Waid, Jeffrey; Kothari, Brianne H; McBeath, Bowen M; Bank, Lew

2017-12-01

This study sought to identify factors that contribute to the relational well-being of youth in substitute care. Using data from the [BLIND] study, youth responded to a 9-item measure of positive home integration, a scale designed to assess the relational experiences of youth to their caregivers and their integration into the foster home. Data were collected from youth in six month intervals, for an 18-month period of time. Latent growth curve modeling procedures were employed to determine if child, family, and case characteristics influenced youth's home integration trajectories. Results suggest stability in youth reports of home integration over time; however, children who were older at the time of study enrollment and youth who experienced placement changes during the period of observation experienced decreased home integration during the 18-month period. Results suggest youth's perspectives of home integration may in part be a function of the child's developmental stage and their experiences with foster care placement instability. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Variables affecting the academic and social integration of nursing students.

PubMed

Zeitlin-Ophir, Iris; Melitz, Osnat; Miller, Rina; Podoshin, Pia; Mesh, Gustavo

2004-07-01

This study attempted to analyze the variables that influence the academic integration of nursing students. The theoretical model presented by Leigler was adapted to the existing conditions in a school of nursing in northern Israel. The independent variables included the student's background; amount of support received in the course of studies; extent of outside family and social commitments; satisfaction with the school's facilities and services; and level of social integration. The dependent variable was the student's level of academic integration. The findings substantiated four central hypotheses, with the study model explaining approximately 45% of the variance in the dependent variable. Academic integration is influenced by a number of variables, the most prominent of which is the social integration of the student with colleagues and educational staff. Among the background variables, country of origin was found to be significant to both social and academic integration for two main groups in the sample: Israeli-born students (both Jewish and Arab) and immigrant students.

Adapting the Quebecois method for assessing implementation to the French National Alzheimer Plan 2008–2012: lessons for gerontological services integration

PubMed Central

Somme, Dominique; Trouvé, Hélène; Perisset, Catherine; Corvol, Aline; Ankri, Joël; Saint-Jean, Olivier; de Stampa, Matthieu

2014-01-01

Introduction Many countries face ageing-related demographic and epidemiological challenges, notably neurodegenerative disorders, due to the multiple care services they require, thereby pleading for a more integrated system of care. The integrated Quebecois method issued from the Programme of Research to Integrate Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy inspired a French pilot experiment and the National Alzheimer Plan 2008–2012. Programme of Research to Integrate Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy method implementation was rated with an evaluation grid adapted to assess its successive degrees of completion. Discussion The approaching end of the president's term led to the method's institutionalization (2011–2012), before the implementation study ended. When the government changed, the study was interrupted. The results extracted from that ‘lost’ study (presented herein) have, nonetheless, ‘found’ some key lessons. Key lessons/conclusion It was possible to implement a Quebecois integrated-care method in France. We describe the lessons and pitfalls encountered in adapting this evaluation tool. This process is necessarily multidisciplinary and requires a test phase. A simple tool for quantitative assessment of integration was obtained. The first assessment of the tool was unsatisfactory but requires further studies. In the meantime, we recommend using mixed methodologies to assess the services integration level. PMID:24959112

An Assessment of Behavioral Dynamic Information Processing Measures in Audiovisual Speech Perception

PubMed Central

Altieri, Nicholas; Townsend, James T.

2011-01-01

Research has shown that visual speech perception can assist accuracy in identification of spoken words. However, little is known about the dynamics of the processing mechanisms involved in audiovisual integration. In particular, architecture and capacity, measured using response time methodologies, have not been investigated. An issue related to architecture concerns whether the auditory and visual sources of the speech signal are integrated “early” or “late.” We propose that “early” integration most naturally corresponds to coactive processing whereas “late” integration corresponds to separate decisions parallel processing. We implemented the double factorial paradigm in two studies. First, we carried out a pilot study using a two-alternative forced-choice discrimination task to assess architecture, decision rule, and provide a preliminary assessment of capacity (integration efficiency). Next, Experiment 1 was designed to specifically assess audiovisual integration efficiency in an ecologically valid way by including lower auditory S/N ratios and a larger response set size. Results from the pilot study support a separate decisions parallel, late integration model. Results from both studies showed that capacity was severely limited for high auditory signal-to-noise ratios. However, Experiment 1 demonstrated that capacity improved as the auditory signal became more degraded. This evidence strongly suggests that integration efficiency is vitally affected by the S/N ratio. PMID:21980314

A small sample test of the factor structure of postural movement and bilateral motor integration using structural equation modeling.

PubMed

Lin, Chin-Kai; Wu, Huey-Min; Lin, Chung-Hui; Wu, Yuh-Yih; Wu, Pei-Fang; Kuo, Bor-Chen; Yeung, Kwok-Tak

2012-10-01

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between the validity of postural movement and bilateral motor integration in terms of sensory integration theory. Participants in this study were 61 Chinese children ages 48 to 70 months. Structural equation modeling was applied to assess the relation between measures tapping postural movement and bilateral motor integration: for postural movement, the measures involve the Monkey Task, Side-Sit Co-contraction, Prone on Elbows, Wheelbarrow Walk, Airplane, and Scooter Board Co-contraction from the DeGangi-Berk Test of Sensory Integration, and Standing Balance with Eyes Closed/Opened in Southern California Sensory Integration Tests. For bilateral motor integration, the measures chosen were the Rolling Pin Activity, Jump and Turn, Diadokokinesis, Drumming, and Upper Extremity Control from the DeGangi-Berk Test of Sensory Integration, and Cross the Midline in Southern California Sensory Integration Tests (SCSIT). Postural movement was highly correlated with the bilateral motor integration. The factor structure fit the theoretical conceptualization, classifying postural movement and bilateral motor integration together in the same category. Therapists could combine two separate objectives (postural movement and bilateral motor integration) of intervention in an activity to improve the adaptive skills based on the vestibular-proprioceptive integration.

Community integration after burn injuries.

PubMed

Esselman, P C; Ptacek, J T; Kowalske, K; Cromes, G F; deLateur, B J; Engrav, L H

2001-01-01

Evaluation of community integration is a meaningful outcome criterion after major burn injury. The Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) was administered to 463 individuals with major burn injuries. The CIQ results in Total, Home Integration, Social Integration, and Productivity scores. The purposes of this study were to determine change in CIQ scores over time and what burn injury and demographic factors predict CIQ scores. The CIQ scores did not change significantly from 6 to 12 to 24 months postburn injury. Home integration scores were best predicted by sex and living situation; Social Integration scores by marital status; and Productivity scores by functional outcome, burn severity, age, and preburn work factors. The data demonstrate that individuals with burn injuries have significant difficulties with community integration due to burn and nonburn related factors. CIQ scores did not improve over time but improvement may have occurred before the initial 6-month postburn injury follow-up in this study.

Integrating technology readiness into the expectation-confirmation model: an empirical study of mobile services.

PubMed

Chen, Shih-Chih; Liu, Ming-Ling; Lin, Chieh-Peng

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to integrate technology readiness into the expectation-confirmation model (ECM) for explaining individuals' continuance of mobile data service usage. After reviewing the ECM and technology readiness, an integrated model was demonstrated via empirical data. Compared with the original ECM, the findings of this study show that the integrated model may offer an ameliorated way to clarify what factors and how they influence the continuous intention toward mobile services. Finally, the major findings are summarized, and future research directions are suggested.

A Comparative Study of Acousto-Optic Time-Integrating Correlators for Adaptive Jamming Cancellation

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-10-01

This final report presents a comparative study of the space-integrating and time-integrating configurations of an acousto - optic correlator...systematically evaluate all existing acousto - optic correlator architectures and to determine which would be most suitable for adaptive jamming

77 FR 52042 - Center For Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-28

... and Training Neurosciences Integrated Review; Group; Molecular Neurogenetics Study Section. [email protected] . Name of Committee: Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Study Section. Date: September 28, 2012. Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p...

78 FR 56239 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-12

... Integrated Review Group; Molecular and Cellular. Endocrinology Study Section Date: October 8, 2013. Time: 8... Molecular Sciences and Training Integrated Review Group; Enabling Bioanalytical and Imaging Technologies...: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group; Genetics of Health and Disease Study Section. Date...

75 FR 25273 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-07

... Genetics Integrated Review Group, Molecular Genetics C Study Section. Date: June 3-4, 2010. Time: 8 a.m. to... Committee: Oncology 1-Basic Translational Integrated Review Group, Cancer Molecular Pathobiology Study... Committee: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience Integrated Review Group, Cellular and...

Integrative prescreening in analysis of multiple cancer genomic studies

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In high throughput cancer genomic studies, results from the analysis of single datasets often suffer from a lack of reproducibility because of small sample sizes. Integrative analysis can effectively pool and analyze multiple datasets and provides a cost effective way to improve reproducibility. In integrative analysis, simultaneously analyzing all genes profiled may incur high computational cost. A computationally affordable remedy is prescreening, which fits marginal models, can be conducted in a parallel manner, and has low computational cost. Results An integrative prescreening approach is developed for the analysis of multiple cancer genomic datasets. Simulation shows that the proposed integrative prescreening has better performance than alternatives, particularly including prescreening with individual datasets, an intensity approach and meta-analysis. We also analyze multiple microarray gene profiling studies on liver and pancreatic cancers using the proposed approach. Conclusions The proposed integrative prescreening provides an effective way to reduce the dimensionality in cancer genomic studies. It can be coupled with existing analysis methods to identify cancer markers. PMID:22799431

Pre-Eminent Curriculum in Islamic Basic School Integrated Comparative Studies in Islamic Basic School Integrated Al-Izzah Serang and Al-Hanif Cilegon, Banten, Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fauz, Anis; Hasbullah

2016-01-01

Compare to General SD (Primary school), the superiority of SD Islam Terpadu (Integrated Islamic Primary School) lies on the development of the curriculum and learning that is more emphasize on integrated curriculum and integrated learning. Curriculum model applied in Sekolah Dasar Islam Terpadu (SDIT) is integrated curriculum. This curriculum is…

The fossil record of phenotypic integration and modularity: A deep-time perspective on developmental and evolutionary dynamics.

PubMed

Goswami, Anjali; Binder, Wendy J; Meachen, Julie; O'Keefe, F Robin

2015-04-21

Variation is the raw material for natural selection, but the factors shaping variation are still poorly understood. Genetic and developmental interactions can direct variation, but there has been little synthesis of these effects with the extrinsic factors that can shape biodiversity over large scales. The study of phenotypic integration and modularity has the capacity to unify these aspects of evolutionary study by estimating genetic and developmental interactions through the quantitative analysis of morphology, allowing for combined assessment of intrinsic and extrinsic effects. Data from the fossil record in particular are central to our understanding of phenotypic integration and modularity because they provide the only information on deep-time developmental and evolutionary dynamics, including trends in trait relationships and their role in shaping organismal diversity. Here, we demonstrate the important perspective on phenotypic integration provided by the fossil record with a study of Smilodon fatalis (saber-toothed cats) and Canis dirus (dire wolves). We quantified temporal trends in size, variance, phenotypic integration, and direct developmental integration (fluctuating asymmetry) through 27,000 y of Late Pleistocene climate change. Both S. fatalis and C. dirus showed a gradual decrease in magnitude of phenotypic integration and an increase in variance and the correlation between fluctuating asymmetry and overall integration through time, suggesting that developmental integration mediated morphological response to environmental change in the later populations of these species. These results are consistent with experimental studies and represent, to our knowledge, the first deep-time validation of the importance of developmental integration in stabilizing morphological evolution through periods of environmental change.

The fossil record of phenotypic integration and modularity: A deep-time perspective on developmental and evolutionary dynamics

PubMed Central

Goswami, Anjali; Binder, Wendy J.; Meachen, Julie; O’Keefe, F. Robin

2015-01-01

Variation is the raw material for natural selection, but the factors shaping variation are still poorly understood. Genetic and developmental interactions can direct variation, but there has been little synthesis of these effects with the extrinsic factors that can shape biodiversity over large scales. The study of phenotypic integration and modularity has the capacity to unify these aspects of evolutionary study by estimating genetic and developmental interactions through the quantitative analysis of morphology, allowing for combined assessment of intrinsic and extrinsic effects. Data from the fossil record in particular are central to our understanding of phenotypic integration and modularity because they provide the only information on deep-time developmental and evolutionary dynamics, including trends in trait relationships and their role in shaping organismal diversity. Here, we demonstrate the important perspective on phenotypic integration provided by the fossil record with a study of Smilodon fatalis (saber-toothed cats) and Canis dirus (dire wolves). We quantified temporal trends in size, variance, phenotypic integration, and direct developmental integration (fluctuating asymmetry) through 27,000 y of Late Pleistocene climate change. Both S. fatalis and C. dirus showed a gradual decrease in magnitude of phenotypic integration and an increase in variance and the correlation between fluctuating asymmetry and overall integration through time, suggesting that developmental integration mediated morphological response to environmental change in the later populations of these species. These results are consistent with experimental studies and represent, to our knowledge, the first deep-time validation of the importance of developmental integration in stabilizing morphological evolution through periods of environmental change. PMID:25901310

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Madenoor Ramapriya, Gautham; Jiang, Zheyu; Tawarmalani, Mohit

We propose a general method to consolidate distillation columns of a distillation configuration using heat and mass integration. The proposed method encompasses all heat and mass integrations known till date, and includes many more. Each heat and mass integration eliminates a distillation column, a condenser, a reboiler and the heat duty associated with a reboiler. Thus, heat and mass integration can potentially offer significant capital and operating cost benefits. In this talk, we will study the various possible heat and mass integrations in detail, and demonstrate their benefits using case studies. This work will lay out a framework to synthesizemore » an entire new class of useful configurations based on heat and mass integration of distillation columns.« less

The association between family and friend integration and physical activity: results from the NHIS.

PubMed

Larsen, Britta A; Strong, David; Linke, Sarah E

2014-06-01

Social integration predicts morbidity and mortality, but its relationships with specific health behaviors that could explain this relationship, such as physical activity, have not been established. Additionally, studies associating social integration with health have not distinguished between sources of social contact (family vs. friends), which could be differentially related to health. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between social integration and physical activity and to explore differences in family and friend social integration. Data came from the 2001 wave of the National Health Interview Survey. Adult participants (N = 33,326) indicated levels of social integration by reporting whether they had seen and/or called friends and/or family in the past 2 weeks and also reported their weekly minutes of physical activity. Logistic regression was used to determine odds of meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines (≥ 150 min/week) and odds of inactivity (0 min/week) based on levels of social integration. Greater integration predicted higher odds of meeting PA guidelines and lower odds of inactivity after controlling for sociodemographic variables. This association was stronger and dose-dependent for integration with friends, whereas moderate family contact predicted greater activity than high levels of family contact. Those who are more socially integrated, particularly with friends rather than family, are also more physically active, which could partially explain the link between social integration and morbidity and mortality. Future studies examining this association should distinguish between sources of integration and explore why and how contact with friends vs. family is differentially associated with health behaviors.

Topical Knowledge in L2 Speaking Assessment: Comparing Independent and Integrated Speaking Test Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Heng-Tsung Danny; Hung, Shao-Ting Alan; Plakans, Lia

2018-01-01

Integrated speaking test tasks (integrated tasks) provide reading and/or listening input to serve as the basis for test-takers to formulate their oral responses. This study examined the influence of topical knowledge on integrated speaking test performance and compared independent speaking test performance and integrated speaking test performance…

Energy Systems Integration News | Energy Systems Integration Facility |

Science.gov Websites

Renewable Generation Integration Study (ERGIS), looks ahead to the year 2026 and examines how the Eastern accurately modeling the entire system at five-minute intervals for an entire year has never even been Integrated Network Testbed for Energy Grid Research and Technology Experimentation (INTEGRATE) project, up to

A Review of "Integrity[TM]"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veldkamp, Bernard P.

2008-01-01

Integrity[TM], an online application for testing both the statistical integrity of the test and the academic integrity of the examinees, was evaluated for this review. Program features and the program output are described. An overview of the statistics in Integrity[TM] is provided, and the application is illustrated with a small simulation study.…

Integrating biomedical and herbal medicine in Ghana - experiences from the Kumasi South Hospital: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Boateng, Millicent Addai; Danso-Appiah, Anthony; Turkson, Bernard Kofi; Tersbøl, Britt Pinkowski

2016-07-07

Over the past decade there has been growing interest in the use of herbal medicine both in developed and developing countries. Given the high proportion of patients using herbal medicine in Ghana, some health facilities have initiated implementation of herbal medicine as a component of their healthcare delivery. However, the extent to which herbal medicine has been integrated in Ghanaian health facilities, how integration is implemented and perceived by different stakeholders has not been documented. The study sought to explore these critical issues at the Kumasi South Hospital (KSH) and outline the challenges and motivations of the integration process. Qualitative phenomenological exploratory study design involving fieldwork observations, focus group discussion, in-depth interviews and key informants' interviews was employed to collect data. Policies and protocols outlining the definition, process and goals of integration were lacking, with respondents sharing different views about the purpose and value of integration of herbal medicine within public health facilities. Key informants were supportive of the initiative. Whilst biomedical health workers perceived the system to be parallel than integrated, health personnel providing herbal medicine perceived the system as integrated. Most patients were not aware of the herbal clinic in the hospital but those who had utilized services of the herbal clinic viewed the clinic as part of the hospital. The lack of a regulatory policy and protocol for the integration seemed to have led to the different perception of the integration. Policy and protocol to guide the integration are key recommendations.

Integrated phenotypes: understanding trait covariation in plants and animals

PubMed Central

Armbruster, W. Scott; Pélabon, Christophe; Bolstad, Geir H.; Hansen, Thomas F.

2014-01-01

Integration and modularity refer to the patterns and processes of trait interaction and independence. Both terms have complex histories with respect to both conceptualization and quantification, resulting in a plethora of integration indices in use. We review briefly the divergent definitions, uses and measures of integration and modularity and make conceptual links to allometry. We also discuss how integration and modularity might evolve. Although integration is generally thought to be generated and maintained by correlational selection, theoretical considerations suggest the relationship is not straightforward. We caution here against uncontrolled comparisons of indices across studies. In the absence of controls for trait number, dimensionality, homology, development and function, it is difficult, or even impossible, to compare integration indices across organisms or traits. We suggest that care be invested in relating measurement to underlying theory or hypotheses, and that summative, theory-free descriptors of integration generally be avoided. The papers that follow in this Theme Issue illustrate the diversity of approaches to studying integration and modularity, highlighting strengths and pitfalls that await researchers investigating integration in plants and animals. PMID:25002693

Integrated primary care, the collaboration imperative inter-organizational cooperation in the integrated primary care field: a theoretical framework

PubMed Central

Valentijn, Pim P; Bruijnzeels, Marc A; de Leeuw, Rob J; Schrijvers, Guus J.P

2012-01-01

Purpose Capacity problems and political pressures have led to a rapid change in the organization of primary care from mono disciplinary small business to complex inter-organizational relationships. It is assumed that inter-organizational collaboration is the driving force to achieve integrated (primary) care. Despite the importance of collaboration and integration of services in primary care, there is no unambiguous definition for both concepts. The purpose of this study is to examine and link the conceptualisation and validation of the terms inter-organizational collaboration and integrated primary care using a theoretical framework. Theory The theoretical framework is based on the complex collaboration process of negotiation among multiple stakeholder groups in primary care. Methods A literature review of health sciences and business databases, and targeted grey literature sources. Based on the literature review we operationalized the constructs of inter-organizational collaboration and integrated primary care in a theoretical framework. The framework is being validated in an explorative study of 80 primary care projects in the Netherlands. Results and conclusions Integrated primary care is considered as a multidimensional construct based on a continuum of integration, extending from segregation to integration. The synthesis of the current theories and concepts of inter-organizational collaboration is insufficient to deal with the complexity of collaborative issues in primary care. One coherent and integrated theoretical framework was found that could make the complex collaboration process in primary care transparent. This study presented theoretical framework is a first step to understand the patterns of successful collaboration and integration in primary care services. These patterns can give insights in the organization forms needed to create a good working integrated (primary) care system that fits the local needs of a population. Preliminary data of the patterns of collaboration and integration will be presented.

75 FR 52764 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-27

... Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group, Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior Study Section. Date....gov . Name of Committee: Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience Integrated Review Group...- 9664. [email protected] . Name of Committee: Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience...

Extent of Integration of Priority Interventions into General Health Systems: A Case Study of Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme in the Western Region of Ghana

PubMed Central

Mensah, Ernest O.; Aikins, Moses K.; Gyapong, Margaret; Anto, Francis; Bockarie, Moses J.; Gyapong, John O.

2016-01-01

Background The global health system has a large arsenal of interventions, medical products and technologies to address current global health challenges. However, identifying the most effective and efficient strategies to deliver these resources to where they are most needed has been a challenge. Targeted and integrated interventions have been the main delivery strategies. However, the health system discourse increasingly favours integrated strategies in the context of functionally merging targeted interventions with multifunctional health care delivery systems with a focus on strengthening country health systems to deliver needed interventions. Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) have been identified to promote and perpetuate poverty hence there has been global effort to combat these diseases. The Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme (NTDP) in Ghana has a national programme team and office, however, it depends on the multifunctional health delivery system at the regional and district level to implement interventions. The NTDP seeks further health system integration to accelerate achievement of coverage targets. The study estimated the extent of integration of the NTDP at the national, regional and district levels to provide evidence to guide further integration. Methodology/Principal Findings The research design was a descriptive case study that interviewed key persons involved in the programme at the three levels of the health system as well as extensive document review. Integration was assessed on two planes—across health system functions–stewardship and governance, financing, planning, service delivery, monitoring and evaluation and demand generation; and across three administrative levels of the health system–national, regional and district. A composite measure of integration designated Cumulative Integration Index (CII) with a range of 0.00–1.00 was used to estimate extent of integration at the three levels of the health system. Service delivery was most integrated while financing and planning were least integrated. Extent of integration was partial at all levels of the health system with a CII of 0.48–0.68; however it was higher at the district compared to the national and regional levels. Conclusions/Significance To ensure further integration of the NTDP, planning and finance management activities must be decentralized to involve regional and district levels of the health system. The study provides an empirical measure of extent of integration and indicators to guide further integration. PMID:27203854

Extent of Integration of Priority Interventions into General Health Systems: A Case Study of Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme in the Western Region of Ghana.

PubMed

Mensah, Ernest O; Aikins, Moses K; Gyapong, Margaret; Anto, Francis; Bockarie, Moses J; Gyapong, John O

2016-05-01

The global health system has a large arsenal of interventions, medical products and technologies to address current global health challenges. However, identifying the most effective and efficient strategies to deliver these resources to where they are most needed has been a challenge. Targeted and integrated interventions have been the main delivery strategies. However, the health system discourse increasingly favours integrated strategies in the context of functionally merging targeted interventions with multifunctional health care delivery systems with a focus on strengthening country health systems to deliver needed interventions. Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) have been identified to promote and perpetuate poverty hence there has been global effort to combat these diseases. The Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme (NTDP) in Ghana has a national programme team and office, however, it depends on the multifunctional health delivery system at the regional and district level to implement interventions. The NTDP seeks further health system integration to accelerate achievement of coverage targets. The study estimated the extent of integration of the NTDP at the national, regional and district levels to provide evidence to guide further integration. The research design was a descriptive case study that interviewed key persons involved in the programme at the three levels of the health system as well as extensive document review. Integration was assessed on two planes-across health system functions-stewardship and governance, financing, planning, service delivery, monitoring and evaluation and demand generation; and across three administrative levels of the health system-national, regional and district. A composite measure of integration designated Cumulative Integration Index (CII) with a range of 0.00-1.00 was used to estimate extent of integration at the three levels of the health system. Service delivery was most integrated while financing and planning were least integrated. Extent of integration was partial at all levels of the health system with a CII of 0.48-0.68; however it was higher at the district compared to the national and regional levels. To ensure further integration of the NTDP, planning and finance management activities must be decentralized to involve regional and district levels of the health system. The study provides an empirical measure of extent of integration and indicators to guide further integration.

Meeting the Mixed Methods Challenge of Integration in a Sociological Study of Structure and Agency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woolley, Claire M.

2009-01-01

Substantial integration of quantitative and qualitative data and findings in mixed methods studies is seldom seen, although maximizing the potential of the approach depends on this. An absence of exemplars has been identified as among a number of factors that currently impede integration in studies carried out by researchers using the approach.…

Immigrant Integration policies and perceived Group Threat: A Multilevel Study of 27 Western and Eastern European Countries.

PubMed

Schlueter, Elmar; Meuleman, Bart; Davidov, Eldad

2013-05-01

Although immigrant integration policies have long been hypothesized to be associated with majority members' anti-immigrant sentiments, systematic empirical research exploring this relationship is largely absent. To address this gap in the literature, the present research takes a cross-national perspective. Drawing from theory and research on group conflict and intergroup norms, we conduct two studies to examine whether preexisting integration policies that are more permissive promote or impede majority group members' subsequent negative attitudes regarding immigrants. For several Western and Eastern European countries, we link country-level information on immigrant integration policies from 2006 with individual-level survey data from the Eurobarometer 71.3 collected in 2009 (Study 1) and from the fourth wave of the European Value Study collected between 2008 and 2009 (Study 2). For both studies, the results from multilevel regression models demonstrate that immigrant integration policies that are more permissive are associated with decreased perceptions of group threat from immigrants. These findings suggest that immigrant integration policies are of key importance in improving majority members' attitudes regarding immigrants, which is widely considered desirable in modern immigrant-receiving societies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Making mathematics and science integration happen: key aspects of practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ríordáin, Máire Ní; Johnston, Jennifer; Walshe, Gráinne

2016-02-01

The integration of mathematics and science teaching and learning facilitates student learning, engagement, motivation, problem-solving, criticality and real-life application. However, the actual implementation of an integrative approach to the teaching and learning of both subjects at classroom level, with in-service teachers working collaboratively, at second-level education, is under-researched due to the complexities of school-based research. This study reports on a year-long case study on the implementation of an integrated unit of learning on distance, speed and time, within three second-level schools in Ireland. This study employed a qualitative approach and examined the key aspects of practice that impact on the integration of mathematics and science teaching and learning. We argue that teacher perspective, teacher knowledge of the 'other subject' and of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), and teacher collaboration and support all impact on the implementation of an integrative approach to mathematics and science education.

[Development of a scale to measure Korean ego-integrity in older adults].

PubMed

Chang, Sung Ok; Kong, Eun Sook; Kim, Kwuy Bun; Kim, Nam Cho; Kim, Ju Hee; Kim, Chun Gill; Kim, Hee Kyung; Song, Mi Soon; Ahn, Soo Yeon; Lee, Kyung Ja; Lee, Young Whee; Chon, Si Ja; Cho, Nam Ok; Cho, Myung Ok; Choi, Kyung Sook

2007-04-01

Ego-integrity in older adults is the central concept related to quality of life in later life. Therefore, for effective interventions to enhance the quality of later life, a scale to measure ego-integrity in older adults is necessary. This study was carried out to develop a scale to measure ego-integrity in older adults. This study utilized cronbach's alpha in analyzing the reliability of the collected data and expert group, and factor analysis and item analysis to analyze validity. Seventeen items were selected from a total of 21 items. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency was .88 for the 17 items of ego-integrity in the older adults scale. Three factors evolved by factor analysis, which explained 50.71% of the total variance. The scale for measuring ego-integrity in Korean older adults in this study was evaluated as a tool with a high degree of reliability and validity.

Integrating LMINET with TAAM and SIMMOD: A Feasibility Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, Dou; Stouffer-Coston, Virginia; Kostiuk, Peter; Kula, Richard; Yackovetsky, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

LMINET is a queuing network air traffic simulation model implemented at 64 large airports and the entire National Airspace System in the United States. TAAM and SIMMOD are two widely used air traffic event-driven simulation models mostly for airports. Based on our proposed Progressive Augmented window approach, TAAM and SIMMOD are integrated with LMINET though flight schedules. In the integration, the flight schedules are modified through the flight delays reported by the other models. The benefit to the local simulation study is to let TAAM or SIMMOD take the modified schedule from LMINET, which takes into account of the air traffic congestion and flight delays at the national network level. We demonstrate the value of the integrated models by the case studies at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. Details of the integration are reported and future work for a full-blown integration is identified.

High-quality weather data for grid integration studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Draxl, C.

2016-12-01

As variable renewable power penetration levels increase in power systems worldwide, renewable integration studies are crucial to ensure continued economic and reliable operation of the power grid. In this talk we will shed light on requirements for grid integration studies as far as wind and solar energy are concerned. Because wind and solar plants are strongly impacted by weather, high-resolution and high-quality weather data are required to drive power system simulations. Future data sets will have to push limits of numerical weather prediction to yield these high-resolution data sets, and wind data will have to be time-synchronized with solar data. Current wind and solar integration data sets will be presented. The Wind Integration National Dataset (WIND) Toolkit is the largest and most complete grid integration data set publicly available to date. A meteorological data set, wind power production time series, and simulated forecasts created using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model run on a 2-km grid over the continental United States at a 5-min resolution is now publicly available for more than 126,000 land-based and offshore wind power production sites. The Solar Integration National Dataset (SIND) is available as time synchronized with the WIND Toolkit, and will allow for combined wind-solar grid integration studies. The National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) is a similar high temporal- and spatial resolution database of 18 years of solar resource data for North America and India. Grid integration studies are also carried out in various countries, which aim at increasing their wind and solar penetration through combined wind and solar integration data sets. We will present a multi-year effort to directly support India's 24x7 energy access goal through a suite of activities aimed at enabling large-scale deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency. Another current effort is the North-American-Renewable-Integration-Study, with the aim of providing a seamless data set across borders for a whole continent, to simulate and analyze the impacts of potential future large wind and solar power penetrations on bulk power system operations.

Inner and outer segment junction (IS/OS line) integrity in ocular Behçet's disease.

PubMed

Yüksel, Harun; Türkcü, Fatih M; Sahin, Muhammed; Cinar, Yasin; Cingü, Abdullah K; Ozkurt, Zeynep; Sahin, Alparslan; Ari, Seyhmus; Caça, Ihsan

2014-08-01

In this study, we examined the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of ocular Behçet's disease (OB) in patients with inactive uveitis. Specifically, we analyzed the inner and outer segment junction (IS/OS line) integrity and the effect of disturbed IS/OS line integrity on visual acuity. Patient files and OCT images of OB patients who had been followed-up between January and June of the year 2013 at the Dicle University Eye Clinic were evaluated retrospectively. Sixty-six eyes of 39 patients were included the study. OCT examination of the patients with inactive OB revealed that approximately 25% of the patients had disturbed IS/OS and external limiting membrane (EML) line integrity, lower visual acuity (VA), and lower macular thickness than others. Linear regression analysis revealed that macular thickness was not an independent variable for VA. In contrast, the IS/OS line integrity was an independent variable for VA in inactive OB patients. In this study, we showed that the IS/OS line integrity was an independent variable for VA in inactive OB patients. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the integrity of the IS/OS line in OB patients.

Integrated HPV genomes tend to integrate in gene desert areas in the CaSki, HeLa, and SiHa cervical cancer cell lines.

PubMed

Diao, Ming-Kun; Liu, Chu-Yi; Liu, Hong-Wei; Li, Jin-Tao; Li, Fan; Mehryar, Mohammadreza Mohammadzad; Wang, Yang-Junqi; Zhan, Shao-Bing; Zhou, Yu-Bai; Zhong, Ru-Gang; Zeng, Yi

2015-04-15

The integration preferences of human papillomavirus (HPV) have been intensively studied and contested over recent years. To disclose the integration preferences of high-risk HPV in cervical cancer, HPV transcriptional sites and features in different cervical cancer cell lines were identified. In this study, three cervical cancer cell lines (CaSki, HeLa, and SiHa) were subjected for HPV genome status determination by amplification of papillomavirus oncogene transcripts (APOT) assay. The numbers of viral copies in human genomes and numbers of viral-human fusion mRNAs in three HPV-integrated cervical cancer cell lines were measured and analysed. The results revealed that the gene desert region 8q24 of the HPV type 18 integrated HeLa cell line and the 13q21-22 region of the HPV type 16 integrated CaSki and SiHa cell lines were hotspots for HPV integration, and the numbers of viral copies in the human genomes of the three cell lines that we detected were not in accordance with those reported in previous studies. Integration of the HPV genome into the host cell chromosome suggests that persistent HPV infection is vital for malignant cell transformation and carcinogenesis. This study provides information to benefit health care professionals seeking more comprehensive and accurate diagnostics for HPV-related disease"? Please check, and amend as necessary. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring primary care practice performance within an integrated delivery system: a case study.

PubMed

Stewart, Louis J; Greisler, David

2002-01-01

This article examines the use of an integrated performance measurement system to plan and control primary care service delivery within an integrated delivery system. We review a growing body of literature that focuses on the development and implementation of management reporting systems among healthcare providers. Our study extends the existing literature by examining the use of performance information generated by an integrated performance measurement system within a healthcare organization. We conduct our examination through a case study of the WMG Primary Care Medicine Group, the primary care medical group practice of WellSpan Health System. WellSpan Health System is an integrated delivery system that serves south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. Our study examines the linkage between WellSpan Health's strategic objectives and its primary care medicine group's integrated performance measurement system. The conceptual design of this integrated performance measurement system combines financial metrics with practice management and clinical operating metrics to provide a more complete picture of medical group performance. Our findings demonstrate that WellSpan Health was able to achieve superior financial results despite a weak linkage between its integrated performance measurement system and its strategic objectives. WellSpan Health achieved this objective for its primary care medicine group by linking clinical performance information to physician compensation and reporting practice management performance through the use of statistical process charts. They found that the combined mechanisms of integrated performance measurement and statistical process control charts improved organizational learning and communications between organizational stakeholders.

Propulsion-airframe integration for commercial and military aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, William P.

1988-01-01

A significant level of research is ongoing at NASA's Langley Research Center on integrating the propulsion system with the aircraft. This program has included nacelle/pylon/wing integration for turbofan transports, propeller/nacelle/wing integration for turboprop transports, and nozzle/afterbody/empennage integration for high performance aircraft. The studies included in this paper focus more specifically on pylon shaping and nacelle location studies for turbofan transports, nacelle and wing contouring and propeller location effects for turboprop transports, and nozzle shaping and empennage effects for high performance aircraft. The studies were primarily conducted in NASA Langley's 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel at Mach numbers up to 1.20. Some higher Mach number data obtained at NASA's Lewis Research Center is also included.

Behavior problems, foster home integration, and evidence-based behavioral interventions: What predicts adoption of foster children?

PubMed

Leathers, Sonya J; Spielfogel, Jill E; Gleeson, James P; Rolock, Nancy

2012-05-01

Adoption is particularly important for foster children with special mental health needs who are unable to return home, as adoption increases parental support often critically needed by youth with mental health issues. Unfortunately, significant behavior problems frequently inhibit foster parents from adopting, and little is known about factors that predict adoption when a child has behavior problems. Previous research suggests that foster parent behavioral training could potentially increase rates of successful adoptions for pre-school-aged foster children with behavior problems (Fisher, Kim, & Pears, 2009), but this has not been previously tested in older samples. In older children, effective treatment of behavior problems might also increase adoption by reducing the interference of behavior problems and strengthening the child's foster home integration. This pilot study focused on this question by testing associations between behavior problems, foster home integration, an evidence-based foster parent intervention, and adoption likelihood. This study used an intent-to-treat design to compare foster home integration and adoption likelihood for 31 foster children with histories of abuse and neglect whose foster parents received a foster behavioral parenting intervention (see Chamberlain, 2003) or usual services. Random effect regression analyses were used to estimate outcomes across four time points. As expected, externalizing behavior problems had a negative effect on both integration and adoption, and foster home integration had an independent positive effect on adoption. Internalizing behavior problems (e.g., depression/anxiety) were not related to adoption or integration. However, the intervention did not have a direct effect on either foster home integration or adoption despite its positive effect on behavior problems. Results from this preliminary study provide further evidence of the negative effect of externalizing behavior problems on adoption. Its findings also suggest that foster home integration is an important dimension of foster home adaptation that appears particularly relevant to chances for adoption. While behavior problems appear to weaken foster home integration, integration is also an independent predictor of adoption likelihood. If these results are replicated in a larger study, consideration of foster home integration in case planning and future intervention studies focused on increasing permanency could potentially improve outcomes for foster children with behavior problems.

Implementation of integrated care for diabetes mellitus type 2 by two Dutch care groups: a case study.

PubMed

Busetto, Loraine; Luijkx, Katrien; Huizing, Anna; Vrijhoef, Bert

2015-08-21

Even though previous research has demonstrated improved outcomes of integrated care initiatives, it is not clear why and when integrated care works. This study aims to contribute to filling this knowledge gap by examining the implementation of integrated care for type 2 diabetes by two Dutch care groups. An embedded single case study was conducted including 26 interviews with management staff, care purchasers and health professionals. The Context + Mechanism = Outcome Model was used to study the relationship between context factors, mechanisms and outcomes. Dutch integrated care involves care groups, bundled payments, patient involvement, health professional cooperation and task substitution, evidence-based care protocols and a shared clinical information system. Community involvement is not (yet) part of Dutch integrated care. Barriers to the implementation of integrated care included insufficient integration between the patient databases, decreased earnings for some health professionals, patients' insufficient medical and policy-making expertise, resistance by general practitioner assistants due to perceived competition, too much care provided by practice nurses instead of general practitioners and the funding system incentivising the provision of care exactly as described in the care protocols. Facilitators included performance monitoring via the care chain information system, increased earnings for some health professionals, increased focus on self-management, innovators in primary and secondary care, diabetes nurses acting as integrators and financial incentives for guideline adherence. Economic and political context and health IT-related barriers were discussed as the most problematic areas of integrated care implementation. The implementation of integrated care led to improved communication and cooperation but also to insufficient and unnecessary care provision and deteriorated preconditions for person-centred care. Dutch integrated diabetes care is still a work in progress, in the academic and the practice setting. This makes it difficult to establish whether overall quality of care has improved. Future efforts should focus on areas that this study found to be problematic or to not have received enough attention yet. Increased efforts are needed to improve the interoperability of the patient databases and to keep the negative consequences of the bundled payment system in check. Moreover, patient and community involvement should be incorporated.

Factors affecting the integration of immigrant nurses into the nursing workforce: A double hermeneutic study.

PubMed

Xiao, Lily Dongxia; Willis, Eileen; Jeffers, Lesley

2014-04-01

Variations in nursing practice and communication difficulties pose a challenge for the successful integration into the workforce of immigrant nurses. Evidence for this is found in cultural clashes, interpersonal conflicts, communication problems, prejudiced attitudes and discrimination towards immigrant nurses. While the evidence shows that integrating immigrant nurses into the nursing workforce is shaped by factors that are socially constructed, studies that examine social structures affecting workforce integration are sparse. The aim of this study was to examine interplaying relationships between social structures and nurses' actions that either enabled or inhibited workforce integration in hospital settings. Giddens' Structuration Theory with double hermeneutic methodology was used to interpret 24 immigrant and 20 senior nurses' perceptions of factors affecting workforce integration. Four themes were identified from the data. These were: (1) employer-sponsored visa as a constraint on adaptation, (2) two-way learning and adaptation in multicultural teams, (3) unacknowledged experiences and expertise as barriers to integration, and (4) unquestioned sub-group norms as barriers for group cohesion. The themes presented a critical perspective that unsuitable social structures (policies and resources) constrained nurses' performance in workforce integration in the context of nurse immigration. The direction of structural changes needed to improve workforce integration is illustrated throughout the discussions of policies and resources required for workforce integration at national and organisational levels, conditions for positive group interactions and group cohesion in organisations. Our study reveals inadequate rules and resources used to recruit, classify and utilise immigrant nurses at national and healthcare organisational levels can become structural constraints on their adaptation to professional nursing practice and integration into the workforce in a host country. Learning from each other in multicultural teams and positive intergroup interaction in promoting intercultural understanding are enablers contributing to immigrant nurses' adaptation and workforce integration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visual Distractors Disrupt Audiovisual Integration Regardless of Stimulus Complexity

PubMed Central

Gibney, Kyla D.; Aligbe, Enimielen; Eggleston, Brady A.; Nunes, Sarah R.; Kerkhoff, Willa G.; Dean, Cassandra L.; Kwakye, Leslie D.

2017-01-01

The intricate relationship between multisensory integration and attention has been extensively researched in the multisensory field; however, the necessity of attention for the binding of multisensory stimuli remains contested. In the current study, we investigated whether diverting attention from well-known multisensory tasks would disrupt integration and whether the complexity of the stimulus and task modulated this interaction. A secondary objective of this study was to investigate individual differences in the interaction of attention and multisensory integration. Participants completed a simple audiovisual speeded detection task and McGurk task under various perceptual load conditions: no load (multisensory task while visual distractors present), low load (multisensory task while detecting the presence of a yellow letter in the visual distractors), and high load (multisensory task while detecting the presence of a number in the visual distractors). Consistent with prior studies, we found that increased perceptual load led to decreased reports of the McGurk illusion, thus confirming the necessity of attention for the integration of speech stimuli. Although increased perceptual load led to longer response times for all stimuli in the speeded detection task, participants responded faster on multisensory trials than unisensory trials. However, the increase in multisensory response times violated the race model for no and low perceptual load conditions only. Additionally, a geometric measure of Miller’s inequality showed a decrease in multisensory integration for the speeded detection task with increasing perceptual load. Surprisingly, we found diverging changes in multisensory integration with increasing load for participants who did not show integration for the no load condition: no changes in integration for the McGurk task with increasing load but increases in integration for the detection task. The results of this study indicate that attention plays a crucial role in multisensory integration for both highly complex and simple multisensory tasks and that attention may interact differently with multisensory processing in individuals who do not strongly integrate multisensory information. PMID:28163675

Visual Distractors Disrupt Audiovisual Integration Regardless of Stimulus Complexity.

PubMed

Gibney, Kyla D; Aligbe, Enimielen; Eggleston, Brady A; Nunes, Sarah R; Kerkhoff, Willa G; Dean, Cassandra L; Kwakye, Leslie D

2017-01-01

The intricate relationship between multisensory integration and attention has been extensively researched in the multisensory field; however, the necessity of attention for the binding of multisensory stimuli remains contested. In the current study, we investigated whether diverting attention from well-known multisensory tasks would disrupt integration and whether the complexity of the stimulus and task modulated this interaction. A secondary objective of this study was to investigate individual differences in the interaction of attention and multisensory integration. Participants completed a simple audiovisual speeded detection task and McGurk task under various perceptual load conditions: no load (multisensory task while visual distractors present), low load (multisensory task while detecting the presence of a yellow letter in the visual distractors), and high load (multisensory task while detecting the presence of a number in the visual distractors). Consistent with prior studies, we found that increased perceptual load led to decreased reports of the McGurk illusion, thus confirming the necessity of attention for the integration of speech stimuli. Although increased perceptual load led to longer response times for all stimuli in the speeded detection task, participants responded faster on multisensory trials than unisensory trials. However, the increase in multisensory response times violated the race model for no and low perceptual load conditions only. Additionally, a geometric measure of Miller's inequality showed a decrease in multisensory integration for the speeded detection task with increasing perceptual load. Surprisingly, we found diverging changes in multisensory integration with increasing load for participants who did not show integration for the no load condition: no changes in integration for the McGurk task with increasing load but increases in integration for the detection task. The results of this study indicate that attention plays a crucial role in multisensory integration for both highly complex and simple multisensory tasks and that attention may interact differently with multisensory processing in individuals who do not strongly integrate multisensory information.

A pragmatic observational feasibility study on integrated treatment for musculoskeletal disorders: Design and protocol.

PubMed

Hu, Xiao-yang; Hughes, John; Fisher, Peter; Lorenc, Ava; Purtell, Rachel; Park, A-La; Robinson, Nicola

2016-02-01

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) comprise a wide range of conditions, associated with an enormous pain and impaired mobility, and are affecting people's lives and work. Management of musculoskeletal disorders typically involves a multidisciplinary team approach. Positive findings have been found in previous studies evaluating the effectiveness of complementary therapies, though little attention has been paid to evaluating of the effectiveness of integrated packages of care combining conventional and complementary approaches for musculoskeletal conditions in a National Health Service (NHS) setting. To determine the feasibility of all aspects of a pragmatic observational study designed: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of integrated treatments for MSDs in an integrated NHS hospital in the UK; (2) to determine the acceptability of the study design and research process to patients; (3) to explore patients' expectation and experience of receiving integrated treatments. This is an observational feasibility study, with 1-year recruitment and 1-year follow-up, conducted in Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, University College London Hospital Trust, UK. All eligible patients with MSDs newly referred to the hospital were included in the study. Interventions are integrated packages of care (conventional and complementary) as currently provided in the hospital. SF-36™ Health Survey, short form Brief Pain Inventory, Visual Analogue Scale, and modified Client Service Receipt Inventory will be assessed at 4/5 time points. Semi-structured interview/focus group will be carried out before treatment, and 1 year after commence of treatment. We intend to conduct a pragmatic observational study of integrated medical treatment of MSDs at a public sector hospital. It will inform the design of a future trial including recruitment, retention, suitability of the outcome measures and patients experiences.

Actions speak louder than words: Outsiders' perceptions of diversity mixed messages.

PubMed

Windscheid, Leon; Bowes-Sperry, Lynn; Kidder, Deborah L; Cheung, Ho Kwan; Morner, Michèle; Lievens, Filip

2016-09-01

To attract a gender diverse workforce, many employers use diversity statements to publicly signal that they value gender diversity. However, this often represents a misalignment between words and actions (i.e., a diversity mixed message) because most organizations are male dominated, especially in board positions. We conducted 3 studies to investigate the potentially indirect effect of such diversity mixed messages through perceived behavioral integrity on employer attractiveness. In Study 1, following a 2 × 2 design, participants (N = 225) were either shown a pro gender diversity statement or a neutral statement, in combination with a gender diverse board (4 men and 4 women) or a uniform all-male board (8 men). Participants' perceived behavioral integrity of the organization was assessed. In Study 2, participants (N = 251) either read positive or negative reviews of the organization's behavioral integrity. Employer attractiveness was then assessed. Study 3 (N = 427) investigated the impact of board gender composition on perceived behavioral integrity and employer attractiveness using a bootstrapping procedure. Both the causal-chain design of Study 1 and 2, as well as the significance test of the proposed indirect relationship in Study 3, revealed that a diversity mixed message negatively affected an organization's perceived behavioral integrity, and low behavioral integrity in turn negatively impacted employer attractiveness. In Study 3, there was also evidence for a tipping point (more than 1 woman on the board was needed) with regard to participants' perceptions of the organization's behavioral integrity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

76 FR 55402 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

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2011-09-07

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Integration of priority population, health and nutrition interventions into health systems: systematic review.

PubMed

Atun, Rifat; de Jongh, Thyra E; Secci, Federica V; Ohiri, Kelechi; Adeyi, Olusoji; Car, Josip

2011-10-10

Objective of the study was to assess the effects of strategies to integrate targeted priority population, health and nutrition interventions into health systems on patient health outcomes and health system effectiveness and thus to compare integrated and non-integrated health programmes. Systematic review using Cochrane methodology of analysing randomised trials, controlled before-and-after and interrupted time series studies. We defined specific strategies to search PubMed, CENTRAL and the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group register, considered studies published from January 1998 until September 2008, and tracked references and citations. Two reviewers independently agreed on eligibility, with an additional arbiter as needed, and extracted information on outcomes: primary (improved health, financial protection, and user satisfaction) and secondary (improved population coverage, access to health services, efficiency, and quality) using standardised, pre-piloted forms. Two reviewers in the final stage of selection jointly assessed quality of all selected studies using the GRADE criteria. Of 8,274 citations identified 12 studies met inclusion criteria. Four studies compared the benefits of Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses in Tanzania and Bangladesh, showing improved care management and higher utilisation of health facilities at no additional cost. Eight studies focused on integrated delivery of mental health and substance abuse services in the United Kingdom and United States of America. Integrated service delivery resulted in better clinical outcomes and greater reduction of substance abuse in specific sub-groups of patients, with no significant difference found overall. Quality of care, patient satisfaction, and treatment engagement were higher in integrated delivery models. Targeted priority population health interventions we identified led to improved health outcomes, quality of care, patient satisfaction and access to care. Limited evidence with inconsistent findings across varied interventions in different settings means no general conclusions can be drawn on the benefits or disadvantages of integrated service delivery.

Test-Taker Characteristics and Integrated Speaking Test Performance: A Path-Analytic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Heng-Tsung Danny; Hung, Shao-Ting Alan; Hong, He-Ting Vivian

2016-01-01

This study explored the relationships among language proficiency, two selected test-taker characteristics (i.e., topical knowledge and anxiety), and integrated speaking test performance. Data collection capitalized on three sets of instruments: three integrated tasks derived from TOEFL-iBT preparation materials, the state anxiety inventory created…

Personal Integration Resources of Mentally Handicapped Teenagers into Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konovalova, Natalia

2016-01-01

The paper deals with the issues concerning the study of mentally handicapped teenagers' integrative potential within modernisation of contemporary Russian education. The research is concentrated on the study of personal and social determinants influencing the readiness of mentally handicapped students to be integrated into the environment.…

Technology Integration Support Levels for In-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Mable Evans

2017-01-01

In-service teachers across the globe are expected to integrate technology in their respective instructional content area. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of in-service teachers concerning building-level support for technology integration. Participants in the study were asked to participate in semi-structured…

Integrating Anthropology in Elementary Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zachlod, Michelle

2000-01-01

Discusses how anthropology can be integrated into the social studies classroom focusing on second and fifth grade levels. Demonstrates how different subject areas can be integrated with anthropology, such as history, geography, science, mathematics, and art. Covers topics such as foods, American Indian folklore, moonsticks, and myths and legends.…

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Our Town Integrated Studies: A Resource.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Education, Raleigh.

This integrated state curriculum guide was developed by North Carolina fourth grade teachers, principals, and supervisors during a workshop which explored methods of integrating curriculum objectives from multiple instructional areas by using the community as both a resource and a subject of study and by introducing the concept of webbing, an…

The Academic Study of Religions and Integrative Religious Education in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberts, Wanda

2010-01-01

The article provides an overview of the book "Integrative religious education in Europe: A study-of-religions approach" (2007). It introduces the notion of "integrative religious education (RE)", relating to education about different religions in religiously mixed classrooms, as opposed to separative confessional approaches.…

Organizational Capabilities for Integrating Care: A Review of Measurement Tools.

PubMed

Evans, Jenna M; Grudniewicz, Agnes; Baker, G Ross; Wodchis, Walter P

2016-12-01

The success of integrated care interventions is highly dependent on the internal and collective capabilities of the organizations in which they are implemented. Yet, organizational capabilities are rarely described, understood, or measured with sufficient depth and breadth in empirical studies or in practice. Assessing these capabilities can contribute to understanding why some integrated care interventions are more effective than others. We identified, organized, and assessed survey instruments that measure the internal and collective organizational capabilities required for integrated care delivery. We conducted an expert consultation and searched Medline and Google Scholar databases for survey instruments measuring factors outlined in the Context and Capabilities for Integrating Care Framework. A total of 58 instruments were included in the review and assessed based on their psychometric properties, practical considerations, and applicability to integrated care efforts. This study provides a bank of psychometrically sound instruments for describing and comparing organizational capabilities. Greater use of these instruments across integrated care interventions and studies can enhance standardized comparative analyses and inform change management. Further research is needed to build an evidence base for these instruments and to explore the associations between organizational capabilities and integrated care processes and outcomes. © The Author(s) 2016.

Integrating Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Programs to Improve Uptake: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Tudor Car, Lorainne; Van Velthoven, Michelle H. M. M. T.; Brusamento, Serena; Elmoniry, Hoda; Car, Josip; Majeed, Azeem; Tugwell, Peter; Welch, Vivian; Marusic, Ana; Atun, Rifat

2012-01-01

Background We performed a systematic review to assess the effect of integrated perinatal prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV interventions compared to non- or partially integrated services on the uptake in low- and middle-income countries. Methods We searched for experimental, quasi-experimental and controlled observational studies in any language from 21 databases and grey literature sources. Results Out of 28 654 citations retrieved, five studies met our inclusion criteria. A cluster randomized controlled trial reported higher probability of nevirapine uptake at the labor wards implementing HIV testing and structured nevirapine adherence assessment (RRR 1.37, bootstrapped 95% CI, 1.04–1.77). A stepped wedge design study showed marked improvement in antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrolment (44.4% versus 25.3%, p<0.001) and initiation (32.9% versus 14.4%, p<0.001) in integrated care, but the median gestational age of ART initiation (27.1 versus 27.7 weeks, p = 0.4), ART duration (10.8 versus 10.0 weeks, p = 0.3) or 90 days ART retention (87.8% versus 91.3%, p = 0.3) did not differ significantly. A cohort study reported no significant difference either in the ART coverage (55% versus 48% versus 47%, p = 0.29) or eight weeks of ART duration before the delivery (50% versus 42% versus 52%; p = 0.96) between integrated, proximal and distal partially integrated care. Two before and after studies assessed the impact of integration on HIV testing uptake in antenatal care. The first study reported that significantly more women received information on PMTCT (92% versus 77%, p<0.001), were tested (76% versus 62%, p<0.001) and learned their HIV status (66% versus 55%, p<0.001) after integration. The second study also reported significant increase in HIV testing uptake after integration (98.8% versus 52.6%, p<0.001). Conclusion Limited, non-generalizable evidence supports the effectiveness of integrated PMTCT programs. More research measuring coverage and other relevant outcomes is urgently needed to inform the design of services delivering PMTCT programs. PMID:22558134

The Effects of an Integrated Reading Comprehension Strategy: A Culturally Responsive Teaching Approach for Fifth-Grade Students' Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bui, Yvonne N.; Fagan, Yvette M.

2013-01-01

The study evaluated the effects of the Integrated Reading Comprehension Strategy on two levels. The Integrated Reading Comprehension Strategy integrated story grammar instruction and story maps, prior knowledge and prediction method, and word webs through a culturally responsive teaching framework; the Integrated Reading Comprehension Strategy…

Authentic Learning Exercises as a Means to Influence Preservice Teachers' Technology Integration Self-Efficacy and Intentions to Integrate Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banas, Jennifer R.; York, Cindy S.

2014-01-01

This study explored the impact of authentic learning exercises, as an instructional strategy, on preservice teachers' technology integration self-efficacy and intentions to integrate technology. Also explored was the predictive relationship between change in preservice teachers' technology integration self-efficacy and change in intentions to…

Factors Influencing Success in Integrating the Four-Year Business School Curriculum: Implications for Business Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athavale, Manoj; Myring, Mark; Davis, Rodney E.; Truell, Allen D.

2010-01-01

Background: Previous research has advocated the use of an integrated business curriculum, and has examined issues related to content, design and delivery of an integrated curriculum. However, no study was found that evaluated deans' perceptions of the importance of integration, the status of integration efforts, and the resources necessary for…

Influence of Teacher Competency on Integration of ICT in Teaching and Learning in Public Secondary Schools in Machakos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Felistas Mbithe; Maithya, Redempta; Cheloti, Selpher K.

2016-01-01

This study was set to investigate the influence of teachers' competency on the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in public secondary schools in Machakos County. The study hypothesis was that: There is no significant relationship between teacher competency and the integration of ICT in teaching and learning. The study used a sample of…

The Impact of Perceptions of Ethical Leadership Styles on Perceptions of Police Integrity Violations: The Case of Diyarbakir Police

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guclu, Timur

2013-01-01

This study has two main areas: first, the study evaluates whether the ethical leadership style of a direct supervisor has an impact on the police officers' perception of the integrity violations; second, the study scrutinizes whether police officers' moral judgment of integrity violations makes a difference in the amount of such violations. The…

A Case Study of the Application of SAMR and TPACK for Reflection on Technology Integration into Two Social Studies Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilton, Jason Theodore

2016-01-01

As emerging technology continues to enter the social studies classroom, teachers need to approach integration of such technology in a systematic manner to ensure that such technology enhances the learning of their students. Currently, scholars of technology integration advocate for the use of one of two different models, either SAMR or TPACK. This…

Integrating resource, social, and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decision-making

USGS Publications Warehouse

Newman, P.; Marion, J.; Cahill, K.

2001-01-01

In park and wilderness management, integrating social and resource indicators is essential to meet park mandates that require the protection of both experiential and resource conditions. This paper will address the challenges we face in integrating social and resource data and outline a study in progress in Yosemite National Park. This study will develop and apply a management model that integrates resource, social and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decisionmaking.

Differing Perceptions Concerning Research Integrity Between Universities and Industry: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Godecharle, Simon; Nemery, Benoit; Dierickx, Kris

2017-09-14

Despite the ever increasing collaboration between industry and universities, the previous empirical studies on research integrity and misconduct excluded participants of biomedical industry. Hence, there is a lack of empirical data on how research managers and biomedical researchers active in industry perceive the issues of research integrity and misconduct, and whether or not their perspectives differ from those of researchers and research managers active in universities. If various standards concerning research integrity and misconduct are upheld between industry and universities, this might undermine research collaborations. Therefore we performed a qualitative study by conducting 22 semi-structured interviews in order to investigate and compare the perspectives and attitudes concerning the issues of research integrity and misconduct of research managers and biomedical researchers active in industry and universities. Our study showed clear discrepancies between both groups. Diverse strategies in order to manage research misconduct and to stimulate research integrity were observed. Different definitions of research misconduct were given, indicating that similar actions are judged heterogeneously. There were also differences at an individual level, whether the interviewees were active in industry or universities. Overall, the management of research integrity proves to be a difficult exercise, due to many diverse perspectives on several essential elements connected to research integrity and misconduct. A management policy that is not in line with the vision of the biomedical researchers and research managers is at risk of being inefficient.

Development of Integrative STEM Curriculum: A Multiple Case Study of Multi-Disciplinary Teams in Two Pennsylvania High Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rider-Bertrand, Joey H.

At the start of the 21st century, STEM education was a new priority in many schools as the focus shifted from separate disciplines to integrative STEM education. Unfortunately, there was limited research to offer guidance to practitioners (Brown, 2012; Honey, Pearson & Schweingruber, 2014). This qualitative, multiple case study explored the experiences of two multi-disciplinary teams of secondary teachers from Pennsylvania who developed and implemented integrative STEM curriculum. Four teachers from a rural high school and four teachers from a suburban high school participated in the study. A document review of integrative STEM curriculum and semi-structured interviews were conducted to learn about the curriculum development process and teachers' perceptions regarding conditions that support or hinder success. Individual and cross-case analyses were performed to establish findings and themes. Although the individual case themes varied slightly, the cross-case themes and assertions that emerged provided highly sought after guidance to practitioners and added to the limited body of research on integrative STEM education. This study found that current curriculum models do not fit integrative STEM curriculum, the development process is fluid, and substantial administrative support and resources are necessary to develop, implement, and sustain integrative STEM education programs. The results offered implications for all educators, as well as two examples of how teachers navigated the terrain of integrative STEM curriculum.

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2011-01-05

..., [email protected] . Name of Committee: Biology of Development and Aging Integrated Review Group... Committee: Biology of Development and Aging Integrated Review Group, Development--1 Study Section. Date..., Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences Integrated Review Group, Integrative Physiology of Obesity...

The influence of a train-the-trainer professional development on teacher perceptions of science integration and inquiry-based instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blythe, Jessica Marie

The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of the train-the-trainer professional development form of professional development on participants' perceptions of agriscience integration and inquiry-based instruction (IBI). The independent variables considered were elements of high-quality professional development, such as duration, active participation, coherence, and school culture; teacher attitudes towards professional development; and teacher demographics. The dependent variables assessed were teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to assess the impacts of a teacher professional development program and experimental follow-up support on secondary teachers' perceptions of science integration and IBI. This study was a census of all teachers who attended a 2012 professional development workshop facilitated by a National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador at the FFA and/or NAAE National Convention. Participants completed four surveys over the subsequent year to assess their perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Descriptive methods were used to analyze teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Correlations and follow-up regression analysis were conducted to determine the relationships between the teachers' perceptions and the elements of high-quality teacher professional development. Results of the study revealed that respondents had favorable perceptions of science integration into agriculture programs and planned to increase the levels of science integration in their programs. Additionally, a majority of respondents reported utilizing IBI more than once a week. Because participants of the study did not utilize the experimental follow-up support system for the workshop, clear effects could not be determined. There was a positive correlation between science integration and IBI. A variation of positive and negative correlations was found between the dependent and independent variables. Five models were found to be significant predictors of respondents' perceptions of science integration three models were found to be significant predictors of IBI. These findings indicate that teachers perceive science integration and IBI as positive influences in secondary agriculture education which supports the integration of science and science teaching techniques in secondary agriculture education programs. Though relationships exist between science integration and IBI, and various elements of school culture and professional development, further investigation is needed to better understand these relationships and their predictive variability.

Community integration after traumatic brain injury: a systematic review of the clinical implications of measurement and service provision for older adults.

PubMed

Ritchie, Linda; Wright-St Clair, Valerie A; Keogh, Justin; Gray, Marion

2014-01-01

To explore the scope, reliability, and validity of community integration measures for older adults after traumatic brain injury (TBI). A search of peer-reviewed articles in English from 1990 to April 2011 was conducted using the EBSCO Health and Scopus databases. Search terms included were community integration, traumatic brain injury or TBI, 65 plus or older adults, and assessment. Forty-three eligible articles were identified, with 11 selected for full review using a standardized critical review method. Common community integration measures were identified and ranked for relevance and psychometric properties. Of the 43 eligible articles, studies reporting community integration outcomes post-TBI were identified and critically reviewed. Older adults' community integration needs post-TBI from high quality studies were summarized. There is a relative lack of evidence pertaining to older adults post-TBI, but indicators are that older adults have poorer outcomes than their younger counterparts. The Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) is the most widely used community integration measurement tool used in research for people with TBI. Because of some limitations, many studies have used the CIQ in conjunction with other measures to better quantify and/or monitor changes in community integration. Enhancing integration of older adults after TBI into their community of choice, with particular emphasis on social integration and quality of life, should be a primary rehabilitation goal. However, more research is needed to inform best practice guidelines to meet the needs of this growing TBI population. It is recommended that subjective tools, such as quality of life measures, are used in conjunction with well-established community integration measures, such as the CIQ, during the assessment process. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of innovative institutional structures in integrated governance. A case study of integrating health and nutrition programs in Chhattisgarh, India.

PubMed

Kalita, Anuska; Mondal, Shinjini

2012-01-01

The aim of this paper is to highlight the significance of integrated governance in bringing about community participation, improved service delivery, accountability of public systems and human resource rationalisation. It discusses the strategies of innovative institutional structures in translating such integration in the areas of public health and nutrition for poor communities. The paper draws on experience of initiating integrated governance through innovations in health and nutrition programming in the resource-poor state of Chhattisgarh, India, at different levels of governance structures--hamlets, villages, clusters, blocks, districts and at the state. The study uses mixed methods--i.e. document analysis, interviews, discussions and quantitative data from facilities surveys--to present a case study analyzing the process and outcome of integration. The data indicate that integrated governance initiatives improved convergence between health and nutrition departments of the state at all levels. Also, innovative structures are important to implement the idea of integration, especially in contexts that do not have historical experience of such partnerships. Integration also contributed towards improved participation of communities in self-governance, community monitoring of government programs, and therefore, better services. As governments across the world, especially in developing countries, struggle towards achieving better governance, integration can serve as a desirable process to address this. Integration can affect the decentralisation of power, inclusion, efficiency, accountability and improved service quality in government programs. The institutional structures detailed in this paper can provide models for replication in other similar contexts for translating and sustaining the idea of integrated governance. This paper is one of the few to investigate innovative public institutions of a and community mobilisation to explore this important, and under-researched, topic.

A New Era of Science Education: Science Teachers' Perceptions and Classroom Practices of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hui-Hui

Quality STEM education is the key in helping the United States maintain its lead in global competitiveness and in preparing for new economic and security challenges in the future. Policymakers and professional societies emphasize STEM education by legislating the addition of engineering standards to the existing science standards. On the other hand, the nature of the work of most STEM professionals requires people to actively apply STEM knowledge to make critical decisions. Therefore, using an integrated approach to teaching STEM in K-12 is expected. However, science teachers encounter numerous difficulties in adapting the new STEM integration reforms into their classrooms because of a lack of knowledge and experience. Therefore, high quality STEM integration professional development programs are an urgent necessity. In order to provide these high quality programs, it is important to understand teachers' perceptions and classroom practices regarding STEM integration. A multiple-case study was conducted with five secondary school science teachers in order to gain a better understanding of teachers' perceptions and classroom practices in using STEM integration. This study addresses the following research questions: 1) What are secondary school science teachers' practices of STEM integration? 2) What are secondary science teachers' overall perceptions of STEM integration? and 3) What is the connection between secondary science teachers' perceptions and understanding of STEM integration with their classroom practices? This research aims to explore teachers' perceptions and classroom practices in order to set up the baseline for STEM integration and also to determine STEM integration professional development best practices in science education. Findings from the study provide critical data for making informed decision about the direction for STEM integration in science education in K-12.

Influence of national culture on the adoption of integrated medical curricula.

PubMed

Jippes, Mariëlle; Majoor, Gerard D

2011-03-01

Integrated curricula have been implemented in medical schools all over the world. However, among countries different relative numbers of schools with integrated curricula are found. This study aims to explore the possible correlation between the percentage of medical schools with integrated curricula in a country and that country's cultural characteristics. Curricula were defined as not integrated if in the first 2 years of the program at least two out of the three monodisciplinary courses Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry were identified. Culture was defined using Hofstede's dimensions Power distance, Uncertainty avoidance, Masculinity/Femininity, and Individualism/Collectivism. Consequently, this study had to be restricted to the 63 countries included in Hofstede's studies which harbored 1,195 medical schools. From each country we randomly sampled a maximum of 15 schools yielding 484 schools to be investigated. In total 91% (446) of the curricula were found. Correlation of percent integrated curricula and each dimension of culture was determined by calculating Spearman's Rho. A high score on the Power distance index and a high score on the Uncertainty avoidance index correlated with a low percent integrated curricula; a high score on the Individualism index correlated with a high percent integrated curricula. The percentage integrated curricula in a country did not correlate with its score on the Masculinity index. National culture is associated with the propensity of medical schools to adopt integrated medical curricula. Consequently, medical schools considering introduction of integrated and problem-based medical curricula should take into account dimensions of national culture which may hinder the innovation process.

Formation of production structural units within a construction company using the systemic integrated method when implementing high-rise development projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapidus, Azary; Abramov, Ivan

2018-03-01

Development of efficient algorithms for designing future operations is a vital element in construction business. This paper studies various aspects of a methodology required to determine the integration index for construction crews performing various process-related jobs. The main objective of the study outlined in this paper is to define the notion of integration in respect to a construction crew that performs complete cycles of construction and assembly works in order to find the optimal organizational solutions, using the integrated crew algorithm built specifically for that purpose. As seen in the sequence of algorithm elements, it was designed to focus on the key factors affecting the level of integration of a construction crew depending on the value of each of those elements. The multifactor modelling approach is used to assess the KPI of integrated construction crews involved in large-sale high-rise construction projects. The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical recommendation and a scientific methodological provision of organizational and technological nature to ensure qualitative formation of integrated construction crews to increase their productivity during integrated implementation of multi-task construction phases. The key difference of the proposed solution from the already existing ones is that it requires identification of the degree of impact of each factor, including the change in the qualification level, on the integration index of each separate element in the organizational and technological system in construction (integrated construction crew).

Curriculum Integration: An Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Amanda; Leckie, Alisa

2017-01-01

Curriculum integration is a tenet of middle level education. "This We Believe," the position paper of the Association for Middle Level Education, advocates for curriculum that is exploratory, relevant, integrative, and meaningful for young adolescents. Teachers can integrate curriculum across content areas by anchoring units of study in…

An integrative review of literature on determinants of nurses' organizational commitment.

PubMed

Vagharseyyedin, Seyyed Abolfazl

2016-01-01

This integrative review was aimed to examine in literature and integrate the determinants of nurses' organizational commitment in hospital settings. In this study, an integrative review of the literature was used. The search strategy began with six electronic databases (e.g. CINAHL and Medline). Considering the inclusion criteria, published studies that examined the factors influencing nurses' organizational commitment in the timeframe of 2000 through 2013 were chosen. Data extraction and analysis were completed on all included studies. The final sample for this integrative review comprised 33 studies. Based on common meanings and central issues, 63 different factors contributing to nurses' organizational commitment were integrated and grouped into four main categories: Personal characteristics and traits of nurses, leadership and management style and behavior, perception of organizational context, and characteristics of job and work environment. In general, categories emerged in this study could be useful for formulating initiatives to stimulate nurses' OC. However, little is known about the relative significance of each identified factor among nurses working in different countries. Qualitative research is recommended for narrowing this gap. Future research should be directed to examine the psychometric properties of the organizational scales for nurses in different cultures.

Secondary School Socio-Cultural Context Influencing ICT Integration: A Case Study Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Divaharan, Shanti; Ping, Lim Cher

2010-01-01

This paper proposes the use of activity theory and multi-level activity systems as a framework to analyse the effectiveness of ICT integration in Singapore secondary school classrooms. Three levels of activity systems are developed to study the effectiveness of ICT integration at the classroom: the classroom activity system, the department…

Human Integration through Olympism Education: A Pragmatic Engagement of Youths in a War-Torn Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nanayakkara, Samantha

2016-01-01

This paper delineates the findings of a mixed methods study that investigated how Olympism education could strengthen competencies of human integration through delivery of physical, social, and critical literacy and conflict resolution literacy. The study introduced a curriculum model integrating Olympism values and conflict resolution strategies…

An Activity Theory Approach to Research of ICT Integration in Singapore Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Cher Ping; Hang, David

2003-01-01

This paper explains how activity theory is used as a framework to study the information and communication technologies (ICT) integration processes in Singapore schools, both from the sociocultural and pedagogical perspectives. The research study addresses the pertinent question of "How has ICT been integrated in Singapore schools such that…

Preliminary Validation of the Work-Family Integration-Blurring Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desrochers, Stephan; Hilton, Jeanne M.; Larwood, Laurie

2005-01-01

Several studies of telecommuting and working at home have alluded to the blurring line between work and family that can result from such highly integrated work-family arrangements. However, little is known about working parents' perceptions of the integration and blurring of their work and family roles. In this study, the authors created and…

Isolated and Integrated Form-Focused Instruction from Learners' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ansarin, Ali Akbar; Arasteh Abbas Abad, Behnam; Banan Khojasteh, Mohammad Reza

2015-01-01

In place of categorical hypotheses for rejection or acceptance of isolated or integrated form-focused instruction (FFI) in (quasi) experimental studies, this survey was intended to gauge the complementary versus competing nature of isolated and integrated FFI from learners' perspective. The impetus behind this study was the overwhelming lack of…

Integrative Mixed Methods Data Analytic Strategies in Research on School Success in Challenging Circumstances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jang, Eunice E.; McDougall, Douglas E.; Pollon, Dawn; Herbert, Monique; Russell, Pia

2008-01-01

There are both conceptual and practical challenges in dealing with data from mixed methods research studies. There is a need for discussion about various integrative strategies for mixed methods data analyses. This article illustrates integrative analytic strategies for a mixed methods study focusing on improving urban schools facing challenging…

Cloud Applications in Language Teaching: Examining Pre-Service Teachers' Expertise, Perceptions and Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aburezeq, Ibtehal Mahmoud; Dweikat, Fawzi Fayez Ishtaiwa

2017-01-01

This study examined pre-service teachers' expertise, perceptions and integration of cloud applications in teaching of Arabic and English. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used as data collection methods. The findings of the study specified that pre-service teachers did not own sufficient expertise for effective integration of…

Learning to Integrate Divergent Information Sources: The Interplay of Epistemic Cognition and Epistemic Metacognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barzilai, Sarit; Ka'adan, Ibtisam

2017-01-01

Learning to integrate multiple information sources is vital for advancing learners' digital literacy. Previous studies have found that learners' epistemic metacognitive knowledge about the nature of knowledge and knowing is related to their strategic integration performance. The purpose of this study was to understand how these relations come into…

In the Soup: Integrating and Correlating Social Studies with Other Curriculum Areas: Part Two.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atwood, Virginia A.; And Others

1989-01-01

Demonstrates a thematic approach, using soup as the theme, to integrate and correlate elementary social studies with other subject areas. Outlines four soup activities, presenting goals, materials, strategies, and extensions of each. Stresses how integrated curricula effectively develops skills such as observing, inferring, serial ordering, and…

Integrating Curriculum: A Case Study of Teaching Global Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson-Patrick, Kate; Reynolds, Ruth; Macqueen, Suzanne

2018-01-01

Despite widespread support for integrated approaches to teaching, classroom practice reveals a lack of implementation. This paper explores challenges and opportunities in teaching an integrated curriculum, and connects this with the contemporary notion of a twenty-first century curriculum and pedagogy. A case study of Global Education (GE) is used…

Exploring Teachers' Use of Resources to Integrate Geography and History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Lauren McArthur; Wirz, Jennifer Palacios; Hinde, Elizabeth R.; Libbee, Michael

2015-01-01

This article describes the findings of a study involving a professional development program that prepared middle school teachers to integrate content on the earliest eras of world history and world geography. In particular, this study focused on participants' (n = 37) use of geographic resources to integrate geography and history and to encourage…

The Effects of Arts Integration on Long-Term Retention of Academic Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardiman, Mariale; Rinne, Luke; Yarmolinskaya, Julia

2014-01-01

Previous correlational and quasi-experimental studies of arts integration--the pedagogical practice of "teaching through the arts"--suggest its value for enhancing cognitive, academic, and social skills. This study reports the results of a small, preliminary classroom-based experiment that tested effects of arts integration on long-term…

Leading Integrated Schools: A Study of the Multicultural Perspectives of Northern Irish Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGlynn, Claire

2008-01-01

This article is concerned with the sustained peace education initiative of integrated schooling and in particular with leadership responses to cultural diversity. Using a case study group of principals of integrated (mixed Catholic, Protestant and other) schools in Northern Ireland, the author explores how principals perceive and lead their…

Mines, Quarries and Landscape. Visuality and Transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimeno, Carlos López; Torrijos, Ignacio Díez; González, Carmen Mataix

2016-06-01

In this paper a review of two basic concepts is carried out: scenery and landscape integration, proposing a new concept: "visuality", alternative to the classical "visibility" used in landscape studies related to mining activity, which explores the qualitative aspects that define the visual relationships between observer and environment. In relation to landscape integration studies, some reflections on substantive issues are made which induce certain prejudices at the time of addressing the issue of mining operations landscape integration, and some guidance and integration strategies are formulated. In the second part of the text, a new approach to the landscape integration of mines and quarries is raised, closely linked to the concept of visuality which are based on a basic goal: the re-qualification of the place, and give innovative answers to re-qualify the place and show how to catch the opportunity in the deep transformation generated by the development of mining activities. As a conclusion, a case study is presented in the last section, the landscape integration study conducted on marble exploitations Coto Pinos (Alicante, Spain), considered the largest ornamental rock quarry in Europe.

The role of pollinator diversity in the evolution of corolla-shape integration in a pollination-generalist plant clade

PubMed Central

Gómez, José María; Perfectti, Francisco; Klingenberg, Christian Peter

2014-01-01

Flowers of animal-pollinated plants are integrated structures shaped by the action of pollinator-mediated selection. It is widely assumed that pollination specialization increases the magnitude of floral integration. However, empirical evidence is still inconclusive. In this study, we explored the role of pollinator diversity in shaping the evolution of corolla-shape integration in Erysimum, a plant genus with generalized pollination systems. We quantified floral integration in Erysimum using geometric morphometrics and explored its evolution using phylogenetic comparative methods. Corolla-shape integration was low but significantly different from zero in all study species. Spatial autocorrelation and phylogenetic signal in corolla-shape integration were not detected. In addition, integration in Erysimum seems to have evolved in a way that is consistent with Brownian motion, but with frequent convergent evolution. Corolla-shape integration was negatively associated with the number of pollinators visiting the flowers of each Erysimum species. That is, it was lower in those species having a more generalized pollination system. This negative association may occur because the co-occurrence of many pollinators imposes conflicting selection and cancels out any consistent selection on specific floral traits, preventing the evolution of highly integrated flowers. PMID:25002702

Black box integration of computer-aided diagnosis into PACS deserves a second chance: results of a usability study concerning bone age assessment.

PubMed

Geldermann, Ina; Grouls, Christoph; Kuhl, Christiane; Deserno, Thomas M; Spreckelsen, Cord

2013-08-01

Usability aspects of different integration concepts for picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) and computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) were inquired on the example of BoneXpert, a program determining the skeletal age from a left hand's radiograph. CAD-PACS integration was assessed according to its levels: data, function, presentation, and context integration focusing on usability aspects. A user-based study design was selected. Statements of seven experienced radiologists using two alternative types of integration provided by BoneXpert were acquired and analyzed using a mixed-methods approach based on think-aloud records and a questionnaire. In both variants, the CAD module (BoneXpert) was easily integrated in the workflow, found comprehensible and fitting in the conceptual framework of the radiologists. Weak points of the software integration referred to data and context integration. Surprisingly, visualization of intermediate image processing states (presentation integration) was found less important as compared to efficient handling and fast computation. Seamlessly integrating CAD into the PACS without additional work steps or unnecessary interrupts and without visualizing intermediate images may considerably improve software performance and user acceptance with efforts in time.

Quantum integrability and functional equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volin, Dmytro

2010-03-01

In this thesis a general procedure to represent the integral Bethe Ansatz equations in the form of the Reimann-Hilbert problem is given. This allows us to study in simple way integrable spin chains in the thermodynamic limit. Based on the functional equations we give the procedure that allows finding the subleading orders in the solution of various integral equations solved to the leading order by the Wiener-Hopf technics. The integral equations are studied in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence, where their solution allows verification of the integrability conjecture up to two loops of the strong coupling expansion. In the context of the two-dimensional sigma models we analyze the large-order behavior of the asymptotic perturbative expansion. Obtained experience with the functional representation of the integral equations allowed us also to solve explicitly the crossing equations that appear in the AdS/CFT spectral problem.

Faces of integration.

PubMed

Williams, Paul; Sullivan, Helen

2009-12-22

Two central themes permeate this paper-the interplay between structure and agency in integration processes and the extent to which this is mediated through sensemaking by individual actors. The empirical base for the paper is provided by case study research from Wales which draws on examples of different types of integration in health and social care. The individual case studies highlight different interpretations of integration set against a background of the resources involved, processes employed and outcomes achieved. A wide ranging discussion exposes the complex interplay and dynamics between structural factors and the manner in which they enable or constrain integration, and individual actors realising their potential agency through leadership, professionalism and boundary spanning to influence outcomes. The importance of structure and agency complementing each other to determine effective integration is emphasised, together with the scope that is available for interpretation and meaning by individual actors within the contested discourse of integration.

Bayesian-based integration of multisensory naturalistic perithreshold stimuli.

PubMed

Regenbogen, Christina; Johansson, Emilia; Andersson, Patrik; Olsson, Mats J; Lundström, Johan N

2016-07-29

Most studies exploring multisensory integration have used clearly perceivable stimuli. According to the principle of inverse effectiveness, the added neural and behavioral benefit of integrating clear stimuli is reduced in comparison to stimuli with degraded and less salient unisensory information. Traditionally, speed and accuracy measures have been analyzed separately with few studies merging these to gain an understanding of speed-accuracy trade-offs in multisensory integration. In two separate experiments, we assessed multisensory integration of naturalistic audio-visual objects consisting of individually-tailored perithreshold dynamic visual and auditory stimuli, presented within a multiple-choice task, using a Bayesian Hierarchical Drift Diffusion Model that combines response time and accuracy. For both experiments, unisensory stimuli were degraded to reach a 75% identification accuracy level for all individuals and stimuli to promote multisensory binding. In Experiment 1, we subsequently presented uni- and their respective bimodal stimuli followed by a 5-alternative-forced-choice task. In Experiment 2, we controlled for low-level integration and attentional differences. Both experiments demonstrated significant superadditive multisensory integration of bimodal perithreshold dynamic information. We present evidence that the use of degraded sensory stimuli may provide a link between previous findings of inverse effectiveness on a single neuron level and overt behavior. We further suggest that a combined measure of accuracy and reaction time may be a more valid and holistic approach of studying multisensory integration and propose the application of drift diffusion models for studying behavioral correlates as well as brain-behavior relationships of multisensory integration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Artifacts on electroencephalograms may influence the amplitude-integrated EEG classification: a qualitative analysis in neonatal encephalopathy.

PubMed

Hagmann, Cornelia Franziska; Robertson, Nicola Jayne; Azzopardi, Denis

2006-12-01

This is a case report and a descriptive study demonstrating that artifacts are common during long-term recording of amplitude-integrated electroencephalograms and may lead to erroneous classification of the amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram trace. Artifacts occurred in 12% of 200 hours of recording time sampled from a representative sample of 20 infants with neonatal encephalopathy. Artifacts derived from electrical or movement interference occurred with similar frequency; both types of artifacts influenced the voltage and width of the amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram band. This is important knowledge especially if amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram is used as a selection tool for neuroprotection intervention studies.

[Modeling integrative oncology care program for Arab patients in north Israel: towards quality of life improvement during chemotherapy].

PubMed

Ben-Arye, Eran; Dagash, Jamal; Silbermann, Michael; Saad, Bashar; Steiner, Mariana; Popper-Giveon, Ariela; Lev, Efraim; Agbarya, Abed; Sela, Gil Bar; Karkabi, Khaled; Schiff, Elad

2015-01-01

In the last decade, a number of integrative oncology programs have been established within leading oncology departments in Israel aiming to provide consultations that address patients' concerns and improve their quality of life (QOL). To identify Arab cancer patients' attitudes, needs and expectations concerning integration of complementary and traditional medicine (CTM) in their supportive oncology care. This article presents studies based on both qualitative (including interviews with patients, oncologists and CTM practitioners) and quantitative studies which were designed to evaluate patients' attitudes, needs and expectations regarding CTM integration in supportive oncology care. Of the 313 Arab respondents, 109 reported on the use of herbal medicine for cancer-associated outcomes. Over 78% of respondents considered QOL improvement as their main expectation of integrated CM consultation. Similar expectations were expressed in studies exploring 155 cancer care practitioners in Israel and Arab countries, 27 CTM-trained Arab practitioners, and a sample of 15 Arab patients referred to integrative medicine consultation. Arab cancer patients support QOL-oriented integrated medicine programs provided in oncology settings. Integrative medicine consultation should provide patients with an evidence-based recommendation on efficacy and safety of herbs commonly used concomitant with chemotherapy. We recommend designing integrative oncology training courses for physicians who will provide evidence-based consultation attuned with Arab patients' needs, concerns and cultural-sensitive orientation.

Provider accountability as a driving force towards physician–hospital integration: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Trybou, Jeroen; Gemmel, Paul; Annemans, Lieven

2015-01-01

Background Hospitals and physicians lie at the heart of our health care delivery system. In general, physicians provide medical care and hospitals the resources to deliver health care. In the past two decades many countries have adopted reforms in which provider financial risk bearing is increased. By making providers financially accountable for the delivered care integrated care delivery is stimulated. Purpose To assess the evidence base supporting the relationship between provider financial risk bearing and physician–hospital integration and to identify the different types of methods used to measure physician–hospital integration to evaluate the functional value of these integrative models. Results Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The evidence base is mixed and inconclusive. Our methodological analysis of previous research shows that previous studies have largely focused on the formal structures of physician–hospital arrangements as an indicator of physician–hospital integration. Conclusion The link between provider financial risk bearing and physician–hospital integration can at this time be supported merely on the basis of theoretical insights of agency theory rather than empirical research. Physician–hospital integration measurement has concentrated on the prevalence of contracting vehicles that enables joint bargaining in a managed care environment but without realizing integration and cooperation between hospital and physicians. Therefore, we argue that these studies fail to shed light on the impact of risk shifting on the hospital–physician relationship accurately. PMID:26034469

An analysis of integrated science and language arts themes in software at the elementary school level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libidinsky, Lisa Jill

2002-09-01

There are many demands on the elementary classroom teacher today, such that teachers often do not have the time and resources to instruct in a meaningful manner that would produce effective, real instruction. Subjects are often disjointed and not significant. When teachers instruct using an integrated approach, students learn more efficiently as they see connections in the subjects. Science and language arts, when combined to produce an integrated approach, show positive associations that can enable students to learn real-life connections. In addition, with the onset of technology and the increased usage of technological programs in the schools, teachers can use technology to support an integrated curriculum. When teachers use a combined instructional focus of science, language arts, and technology to produce lessons, students are able to gain knowledge of concepts and skills necessary for appropriate academic growth and development. Given that there are many software programs available to teachers for classroom use, it is imperative that quality software is used for instruction. Using criteria based upon an intensive literature review of integrated instruction in the areas of science and language arts, this study examines science and language arts software programs to determine whether there are science and language arts integrated themes in the software analyzed. Also, this study examines whether more science and language arts integrated themes are present in science or language arts software programs. Overall, this study finds a significant difference between language arts software and science software when looking at integrated themes. This study shows that science software shows integrated themes with language arts more often than does language arts software with science. The findings in this study can serve as a reference point for educators when selecting software that is meaningful and effective in the elementary classroom. Based on this study, it is apparent that there is a need to evaluate software for appropriate use in the classroom in order to promote effective education.

Assessing healthcare professionals' experiences of integrated care: do surveys tell the full story?

PubMed

Stephenson, Matthew D; Campbell, Jared M; Lisy, Karolina; Aromataris, Edoardo C

2017-09-01

Integrated care is the combination of different healthcare services with the goal to provide comprehensive, seamless, effective and efficient patient care. Assessing the experiences of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is an important aspect when evaluating integrated care strategies. The aim of this rapid review was to investigate if quantitative surveys used to assess HCPs' experiences with integrated care capture all the aspects highlighted as being important in qualitative research, with a view to informing future survey development. The review considered all types of health professionals in primary care, and hospital and specialist services, with a specific focus on the provision of integrated care aimed at improving the patient journey. PubMed, CINAHL and grey literature sources were searched for relevant surveys/program evaluations and qualitative research studies. Full text articles deemed to be of relevance to the review were appraised for methodological quality using abridged critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted from included studies using standardized data extraction templates. Findings from included studies were grouped into domains based on similarity of meaning. Similarities and differences in the domains covered in quantitative surveys and those identified as being important in qualitative research were explored. A total of 37 studies (19 quantitative surveys, 14 qualitative studies and four mixed-method studies) were included in the review. A range of healthcare professions participated in the included studies, the majority being primary care providers. Common domains identified from quantitative surveys and qualitative studies included Communication, Agreement on Clear Roles and Responsibilities, Facilities, Information Systems, and Coordination of Care and Access. Qualitative research highlighted domains identified by HCPs as being relevant to their experiences with integrated care that have not routinely being surveyed, including Workload, Clear Leadership/Decision-Making, Management, Flexibility of Integrated Care Model, Engagement, Usefulness of Integrated Care and Collaboration, and Positive Impact/Clinical Benefits/Practice Level Benefits. There were several domains identified from qualitative research that are not routinely included in quantitative surveys to assess health professionals' experiences of integrated care. In addition, the qualitative findings suggest that the experiences of HCPs are often impacted by deeper aspects than those measured by existing surveys. Incorporation of targeted items within these domains in the design of surveys should enhance the capture of data that are relevant to the experiences of HCPs with integrated care, which may assist in more comprehensive evaluation and subsequent improvement of integrated care programs.

Integrated geophysical investigations in a fault zone located on southwestern part of İzmir city, Western Anatolia, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drahor, Mahmut G.; Berge, Meriç A.

2017-01-01

Integrated geophysical investigations consisting of joint application of various geophysical techniques have become a major tool of active tectonic investigations. The choice of integrated techniques depends on geological features, tectonic and fault characteristics of the study area, required resolution and penetration depth of used techniques and also financial supports. Therefore, fault geometry and offsets, sediment thickness and properties, features of folded strata and tectonic characteristics of near-surface sections of the subsurface could be thoroughly determined using integrated geophysical approaches. Although Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT) methods are commonly used in active tectonic investigations, other geophysical techniques will also contribute in obtaining of different properties in the complex geological environments of tectonically active sites. In this study, six different geophysical methods used to define faulting locations and characterizations around the study area. These are GPR, ERT, SRT, Very Low Frequency electromagnetic (VLF), magnetics and self-potential (SP). Overall integrated geophysical approaches used in this study gave us commonly important results about the near surface geological properties and faulting characteristics in the investigation area. After integrated interpretations of geophysical surveys, we determined an optimal trench location for paleoseismological studies. The main geological properties associated with faulting process obtained after trenching studies. In addition, geophysical results pointed out some indications concerning the active faulting mechanism in the area investigated. Consequently, the trenching studies indicate that the integrated approach of geophysical techniques applied on the fault problem reveals very useful and interpretative results in description of various properties of faulting zone in the investigation site.

Numbers, systems, people: how interactions influence integration. Insights from case studies of HIV and reproductive health services delivery in Kenya

PubMed Central

Mayhew, Susannah H; Warren, Charlotte E; Collumbien, Martine; Ndwiga, Charity; Mutemwa, Richard; Lut, Irina; Colombini, Manuela; Vassall, Anna

2017-01-01

Abstract Drawing on rich data from the Integra evaluation of integrated HIV and reproductive-health services, we explored the interaction of systems hardware and software factors to explain why some facilities were able to implement and sustain integrated service delivery while others were not. This article draws on detailed mixed-methods data for four case-study facilities offering reproductive-health and HIV services between 2009 and 2013 in Kenya: (i) time-series client flow, tracking service uptake for 8841 clients; (ii) structured questionnaires with 24 providers; (iii) in-depth interviews with 17 providers; (iv) workload and facility data using a periodic activity review and cost-instruments; and (v) contextual data on external activities related to integration in study sites. Overall, our findings suggested that although structural factors like stock-outs, distribution of staffing and workload, rotation of staff can affect how integrated care is provided, all these factors can be influenced by staff themselves: both frontline and management. Facilities where staff displayed agency of decision making, worked as a team to share workload and had management that supported this, showed better integration delivery and staff were able to overcome some structural deficiencies to enable integrated care. Poor-performing facilities had good structural integration, but staff were unable to utilize this because they were poorly organized, unsupported or teams were dysfunctional. Conscientious objection and moralistic attitudes were also barriers. Integra has demonstrated that structural integration is not sufficient for integrated service delivery. Rather, our case studies show that in some cases excellent leadership and peer-teamwork enabled facilities to perform well despite resource shortages. The ability to provide support for staff to work flexibly to deliver integrated services and build resilient health systems to meet changing needs is particularly relevant as health systems face challenges of changing burdens of disease, climate change, epidemic outbreaks and more. PMID:29194544

Age moderates the association between social integration and diurnal cortisol measures.

PubMed

Chin, Brian; Murphy, Michael L M; Cohen, Sheldon

2018-04-01

Social integration is defined as the degree to which an individual participates in a broad range of social relationships. Although measures of social integration vary across studies, it is often assessed as the number of social roles (e.g., parent, friend, student, volunteer) that an individual reports actively participating in. More socially integrated individuals tend to be healthier than those less socially integrated, but the biological mechanisms through which this occurs remain unclear. One possibility is that social integration might alter the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, of which cortisol is a key product, and in turn influence a broad range of health outcomes. This study examined the association between social integration and two indices of cortisol in a community sample of 680 healthy men and women aged 18-55. Because the social roles held by younger individuals may be more numerous yet superficial than those held by older individuals, this study also tested the hypothesis that these associations could be moderated by age such that lower levels of integration would be associated with cortisol dysregulation for older but not younger individuals in our sample. Participants provided salivary cortisol samples during waking hours on three days that were used to calculate diurnal cortisol levels and slopes. Increased social integration was associated with lower cortisol AUC among older (ages 35-55) but not younger (ages 18-34) individuals in our sample. Moreover, while increased social integration was associated with steeper diurnal cortisol slopes regardless of age, this association was strongest among older individuals. Differences in health behaviors, affect, and psychological stress did not mediate these associations. The results of this study support cortisol as a candidate biological mechanism through which increased social integration is associated with better physical health among older individuals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 51277 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-19

..., Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group; Molecular Genetics B Study Section. Date: October 3-4, 2010... and Urological Systems Integrated Review Group; Clinical, Integrative and Molecular Gastroenterology... Integrated Review Group; Clinical Molecular Imaging and Probe Development. Date: October 4-5, 2010. Time: 7 p...

Examining Thai high school students' developing STEM projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teenoi, Kultida; Siripun, Kulpatsorn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

Like others, Thailand education strongly focused on STEM education. This paper aimed to examine existing Thai high school students' integrated knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in their developing science project. The participants included 49 high school students were studying the subject of individual study (IS) in Khon Kaen wittayayon school, Khon Kaen, Thailand. The IS was provided to gradually enhance students to know how to do science project starting from getting start to do science projects, They enrolled to study the individual study of science project for three year in roll. Methodology was qualitative research. Views of students' integrated knowledge about STEM were interpreted through participant observation, interview, and students' science projects. The first author as participant observation has taught this group of students for 3 years. It found that 16 science projects were developed. Views of students' integrated knowledge about STEM could be categorized into three categories. These included (1) completely indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, (2) partial indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and (3) no integration. The findings revealed that majority of science projects could be categorized as completely indicated integration of knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The paper suggested some ideas of enhancing students to applying STEM for developing science projects.

Toward Treatment Integrity: Developing an Approach to Measure the Treatment Integrity of a Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intervention With Homeless Youth in the Community.

PubMed

McCay, Elizabeth; Carter, Celina; Aiello, Andria; Quesnel, Susan; Howes, Carol; Johansson, Bjorn

2016-10-01

The current paper discusses an approach to measuring treatment integrity of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) when implemented within two programs providing services to street-involved youth in the community. Measuring treatment integrity is a critical component of effective implementation of evidence-based interventions in clinical practice, since sound treatment integrity increases confidence in client outcomes and intervention replicability. Despite being an essential part of implementation science, few studies report on treatment integrity, with limited research addressing either measurement tools or maintenance of treatment integrity. To address the lack of available treatment integrity measures, researchers in the current study developed and piloted a treatment integrity measure which pertain to the individual and group components of DBT. A total of 20 recordings were assessed using the treatment integrity measure. Results indicate that the community agency staff (e.g. youth workers, social workers & nurses) implemented the intervention as intended; increasing confidence in the outcome variables, the staffs' training and the replicability of the intervention. This article offers one approach to addressing treatment integrity when implementing evidence-based interventions, such as DBT in a community setting, and discusses the need for effective and feasible integrity measures that can be adopted in order to strengthen mental health practice in community settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cell Culture Systems To Study Human Herpesvirus 6A/B Chromosomal Integration.

PubMed

Gravel, Annie; Dubuc, Isabelle; Wallaschek, Nina; Gilbert-Girard, Shella; Collin, Vanessa; Hall-Sedlak, Ruth; Jerome, Keith R; Mori, Yasuko; Carbonneau, Julie; Boivin, Guy; Kaufer, Benedikt B; Flamand, Louis

2017-07-15

Human herpesviruses 6A/B (HHV-6A/B) can integrate their viral genomes in the telomeres of human chromosomes. The viral and cellular factors contributing to HHV-6A/B integration remain largely unknown, mostly due to the lack of efficient and reproducible cell culture models to study HHV-6A/B integration. In this study, we characterized the HHV-6A/B integration efficiencies in several human cell lines using two different approaches. First, after a short-term infection (5 h), cells were processed for single-cell cloning and analyzed for chromosomally integrated HHV-6A/B (ciHHV-6A/B). Second, cells were infected with HHV-6A/B and allowed to grow in bulk for 4 weeks or longer and then analyzed for the presence of ciHHV-6. Using quantitative PCR (qPCR), droplet digital PCR, and fluorescent in situ hybridization, we could demonstrate that HHV-6A/B integrated in most human cell lines tested, including telomerase-positive (HeLa, MCF-7, HCT-116, and HEK293T) and telomerase-negative cell lines (U2OS and GM847). Our results also indicate that inhibition of DNA replication, using phosphonoacetic acid, did not affect HHV-6A/B integration. Certain clones harboring ciHHV-6A/B spontaneously express viral genes and proteins. Treatment of cells with phorbol ester or histone deacetylase inhibitors triggered the expression of many viral genes, including U39 , U90 , and U100 , without the production of infectious virus, suggesting that the tested stimuli were not sufficient to trigger full reactivation. In summary, both integration models yielded comparable results and should enable the identification of viral and cellular factors contributing to HHV-6A/B integration and the screening of drugs influencing viral gene expression, as well as the release of infectious HHV-6A/B from the integrated state. IMPORTANCE The analysis and understanding of HHV-6A/B genome integration into host DNA is currently limited due to the lack of reproducible and efficient viral integration systems. In the present study, we describe two quantitative cell culture viral integration systems. These systems can be used to define cellular and viral factors that play a role in HHV-6A/B integration. Furthermore, these systems will allow us to decipher the conditions resulting in virus gene expression and excision of the integrated viral genome resulting in reactivation. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Indicators and measurement tools for health system integration: a knowledge synthesis protocol.

PubMed

Oelke, Nelly D; Suter, Esther; da Silva Lima, Maria Alice Dias; Van Vliet-Brown, Cheryl

2015-07-29

Health system integration is a key component of health system reform with the goal of improving outcomes for patients, providers, and the health system. Although health systems continue to strive for better integration, current delivery of health services continues to be fragmented. A key gap in the literature is the lack of information on what successful integration looks like and how to measure achievement towards an integrated system. This multi-site study protocol builds on a prior knowledge synthesis completed by two of the primary investigators which identified 10 key principles that collectively support health system integration. The aim is to answer two research questions: What are appropriate indicators for each of the 10 key integration principles developed in our previous knowledge synthesis and what measurement tools are used to measure these indicators? To enhance generalizability of the findings, a partnership between Canada and Brazil was created as health system integration is a priority in both countries and they share similar contexts. This knowledge synthesis will follow an iterative scoping review process with emerging information from knowledge-user engagement leading to the refinement of research questions and study selection. This paper describes the methods for each phase of the study. Research questions were developed with stakeholder input. Indicator identification and prioritization will utilize a modified Delphi method and patient/user focus groups. Based on priority indicators, a search of the literature will be completed and studies screened for inclusion. Quality appraisal of relevant studies will be completed prior to data extraction. Results will be used to develop recommendations and key messages to be presented through integrated and end-of-grant knowledge translation strategies with researchers and knowledge-users from the three jurisdictions. This project will directly benefit policy and decision-makers by providing an easy accessible set of indicators and tools to measure health system integration across different contexts and cultures. Being able to evaluate the success of integration strategies and initiatives will lead to better health system design and improved health outcomes for patients.

Integrally Closed Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuganbaev, A. A.

1982-04-01

This paper studies integrally closed rings. It is shown that a semiprime integrally closed Goldie ring is the direct product of a semisimple artinian ring and a finite number of integrally closed invariant domains that are classically integrally closed in their (division) rings of fractions. It is shown also that an integrally closed ring has a classical ring of fractions and is classically integrally closed in it.Next, integrally closed noetherian rings are considered. It is shown that an integrally closed noetherian ring all of whose nonzero prime ideals are maximal is either a quasi-Frobenius ring or a hereditary invariant domain.Finally, those noetherian rings all of whose factor rings are invariant are described, and the connection between integrally closed rings and distributive rings is examined.Bibliography: 13 titles.

Science in a Team Environment (AKA, How to Play Nicely with Others)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Platts, S. H.; Primeaux, L.; Swarmer, T.; Yarbough, P. O

2017-01-01

So you want to do NASA funded research in a spaceflight analog? There are several things about participating in an HRP managed analog that may be different from the way you normally do work in your laboratory. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight those differences and explain some of the unique aspects of doing this research. Participation in an HRP funded analog study complement, even if initially selected for funding, is not automatic and involves numerous actions from ISSMP, HRP, and the PI. There are steps that have to be taken and processes to follow before approval and ISSMP-FA integration. After the proposal and acceptance process the Investigator works closely with the Flight Analog team to ensure full integration of their study requirements into a compliment. A complement is comprised of a group of studies requiring a common platform and/or scenario that are able to be integrated on a non-interference basis for implementation. Full integration into the analog platform can be broken down into three phases: integration, preparation, and implementation. These phases occur in order with some overlap in the integration and preparation phase. The ISSMP-FA team integrates, plans and implements analog study complements. Properly defining your research requirements and getting them documented is one of the most critical components to ensure successful integration and implementation of your study, but is also one of the most likely to be neglected by PIs. Requirements that are not documented, or that are documented poorly are unlikely to get done, no matter how much you push. The process to document requirements is two-fold, consisting of an initial individual requirements integration and then a compliment requirements integration. Understanding the requirements in detail and early ensures that the science is not compromised by outside influences. This step is vital to the integration, preparation, and implementation phases. The individual requirements integration is the first step in ensuring that the research fits into an available analog platform or allows for the Flight Analog team to provide information on structural study changes for participation in the analog. At this early point investigators need to understand exactly what their requirements are to produce relevant data and convey their must have needs to the Flight Analog team. The fluid nature of analog platforms allow for minor alterations to the operational structure. Participation in analog research requires flexibility from the investigator to ensure implementation of their research into a flight like analog platform. The compliment integration requires plasticity; investigators are asked to work closely with one another and the Flight Analog team to combine research studies into a single study plan. This study plan's ultimate goal is to facilitate multiple study participation with minimal scientific impact to each individual study. The Flight Analogs team works to find the best compromise for all parties while protecting the flight like atmosphere of a particular analog. Additional restrictions, limitations and constraints may be required by the analog in order to make all of the science work. Many studies need to be combined into each complement and there are a limited number of hours available for data collection. Through data/sample sharing, we can reduce the burden on the test subject, while usually avoiding significant science impacts. Restrictions on food, exercise, medications and sleep cycle are important to consider for your research.

Pediatric primary care psychologists' reported level of integration, billing practices, and reimbursement frequency.

PubMed

Riley, Andrew R; Grennan, Allison; Menousek, Kathryn; Hoffses, Kathryn W

2018-03-01

Integration of psychological services into pediatric primary care is increasingly common, but models of integration vary with regard to their level of coordination, colocation, and integration. High-integration models may provide some distinct advantages, such as preventative care and brief consultation for subclinical behavior concerns; however, psychologists face barriers to seeking reimbursement for these services. Alternatives to traditional psychotherapy and psychological testing codes, specifically Health & Behavior (H&B) codes, have been proposed as 1 method for supporting integrated care. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between psychologists' reported billing practices, reimbursement rates, and model of integration in pediatric primary care. As part of a larger survey study, 55 psychologists working in pediatric primary care reported on characteristics of their practice's model of integration, billing practices, and frequency of reimbursement for consultative services. Compared with those who categorized their integrated care model as colocated, psychologists who endorsed working in integrated models reported a significantly higher usage of H&B codes and more frequent reimbursement for consultations. Overall, use of H&B codes was associated with higher reported levels of coordination and integration. Survey results showed a clear pattern of higher integration being associated with greater utilization of H&B codes and better reimbursement for consultation activities. These results underscore the importance of establishing and maintaining billing and reimbursement systems that adequately support integrated care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Are Integrated Plan Providers Associated With Lower Premiums on the Health Insurance Marketplaces?

PubMed

La Forgia, Ambar; Maeda, Jared Lane K; Banthin, Jessica S

2018-04-01

As the health insurance industry becomes more consolidated, hospitals and health systems have started to enter the insurance business. Insurers are also rapidly acquiring providers. Although these "vertically" integrated plan providers are small players in the insurance market, they are becoming more numerous. The health insurance marketplaces (HIMs) offer a unique setting to study integrated plan providers relative to other insurer types because the HIMs were designed to promote competition. In this descriptive study, the authors compared the premiums of the lowest priced silver plans of integrated plan providers with other insurer types on the 2015 and 2016 HIMs. Integrated plan providers were associated with modestly lower premiums relative to most other insurer types. This study provides early insights into premium competition on the HIMs. Examining integrated plan providers as a separate insurer type has important policy implications because they are a growing segment of the marketplaces and their pricing behavior may influence future premium trends.

Criteria for quantitative and qualitative data integration: mixed-methods research methodology.

PubMed

Lee, Seonah; Smith, Carrol A M

2012-05-01

Many studies have emphasized the need and importance of a mixed-methods approach for evaluation of clinical information systems. However, those studies had no criteria to guide integration of multiple data sets. Integrating different data sets serves to actualize the paradigm that a mixed-methods approach argues; thus, we require criteria that provide the right direction to integrate quantitative and qualitative data. The first author used a set of criteria organized from a literature search for integration of multiple data sets from mixed-methods research. The purpose of this article was to reorganize the identified criteria. Through critical appraisal of the reasons for designing mixed-methods research, three criteria resulted: validation, complementarity, and discrepancy. In applying the criteria to empirical data of a previous mixed methods study, integration of quantitative and qualitative data was achieved in a systematic manner. It helped us obtain a better organized understanding of the results. The criteria of this article offer the potential to produce insightful analyses of mixed-methods evaluations of health information systems.

A parameter study of the two-fluid solar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandbaek, Ornulf; Leer, Egil; Holzer, Thomas E.

1992-01-01

A two-fluid model of the solar wind was introduced by Sturrock and Hartle (1966) and Hartle and Sturrock (1968). In these studies the proton energy equation was integrated neglecting the heat conductive term. Later several authors solved the equations for the two-fluid solar wind model keeping the proton heat conductive term. Methods where the equations are integrated simultaneously outward and inward from the critical point were used. The equations were also integrated inward from a large heliocentric distance. These methods have been applied to cases with low coronal base electron densities and high base temperatures. In this paper we present a method of integrating the two-fluid solar wind equations using an iteration procedure where the equations are integrated separately and the proton flux is kept constant during the integrations. The technique is applicable for a wide range of coronal base densities and temperatures. The method is used to carry out a parameter study of the two-fluid solar wind.

Shuttle payload interface verification equipment study. Volume 2: Technical document, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The technical analysis is reported that was performed during the shuttle payload interface verification equipment study. It describes: (1) the background and intent of the study; (2) study approach and philosophy covering all facets of shuttle payload/cargo integration; (3)shuttle payload integration requirements; (4) preliminary design of the horizontal IVE; (5) vertical IVE concept; and (6) IVE program development plans, schedule and cost. Also included is a payload integration analysis task to identify potential uses in addition to payload interface verification.

Lunar electric power systems utilizing the SP-100 reactor coupled to dynamic conversion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harty, Richard B.; Durand, Richard E.

1993-01-01

An integration study was performed by Rocketdyne under contract to NASA-LeRC. The study was concerned with coupling an SP-0100 reactor to either a Brayton or Stirling power conversion system. The application was for a surface power system to supply power requirements to a lunar base. A power level of 550 kWe was selected based on the NASA Space Exploration Initiative 90-day study. Reliability studies were initially performed to determine optimum power conversion redundancy. This study resulted in selecting three operating engines and one stand-by unit. Integration design studies indicated that either the Brayton or Stirling power conversion systems could be integrated with the PS-100 reactor. The Stirling system had an integration advantage because of smaller piping size and fewer components. The Stirling engine, however, is more complex and heavier than the Brayton rotating unit, which tends to off-set the Stirling integration advantage. From a performance consideration, the Brayton had a 9 percent mass advantage, and the Stirling had a 50 percent radiator advantage.

CASE STUDY CRITIQUE; UPPER CLINCH CASE STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

Case study critique: Upper Clinch case study (from Research on Methods for Integrating Ecological Economics and Ecological Risk Assessment: A Trade-off Weighted Index Approach to Integrating Economics and Ecological Risk Assessment). This critique answers the questions: 1) does ...

Systematic review of youth mental health service integration research.

PubMed

Kinchin, Irina; Tsey, Komla; Heyeres, Marion; Cadet-James, Yvonne

2016-01-01

Quality mental health care is based on the integration of care across organisations and disciplines. The aims of this study were, first, to assess the extent, characteristics and reported outcomes of publications concerned with youth mental health service integration in Australia and internationally; and second, to investigate the study design quality of evaluative interventions and determine whether the studies report on the cost-effectiveness of the integration in order to inform the reform of youth mental health services by Queensland Health. A systematic search of the peer-reviewed literature and a narrative synthesis were undertaken of English language publications from 21 electronic databases. Inclusion criteria were: published 1998-2014 (inclusive); peer-reviewed research; focused on mental health services integration; reported data for youth aged 12-25 years. The methodological quality of evaluative interventions was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies developed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP). Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria: one (4%) was classified as a measurement research, 13 (52%) as descriptive, and 11 (44%) as interventions including five (45%) evaluative interventions. Four out of the five evaluative interventions reported positive effects of youth mental health service integration. Particular problems included ambiguity of definitions, absence of economic or cost analyses and insufficient consumer involvement. The methodological quality of the interventions was variable with, on average, a moderate level of selection bias and study design. Despite a slight increase in the number of studies in the last couple of years, there are important gaps in the evidence base for youth mental health service integration processes. The relatively small number of evaluative studies and lack of economic evaluations point to the need for additional research in this important area.

A Survey of Applications and Research in Integrated Design Systems Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The initial part of the study was begun with a combination of literature searches, World Wide Web searches, and contacts with individuals and companies who were known to members of our team to have an interest in topics that seemed to be related to our study. There is a long list of such topics, such as concurrent engineering, design for manufacture, life-cycle engineering, systems engineering, systems integration, systems design, design systems, integrated product and process approaches, enterprise integration, integrated product realization, and similar terms. These all capture, at least in part, the flavor of what we describe here as integrated design systems. An inhibiting factor in this inquiry was the absence of agreed terminology for the study of integrated design systems. It is common for the term to be applied to what are essentially augmented Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems, which are integrated only to the extent that agreements have been reached to attach proprietary extensions to proprietary CAD programs. It is also common for some to use the term integrated design systems to mean a system that applies only, or mainly, to the design phase of a product life cycle. It is likewise common for many of the terms listed earlier to be used as synonyms for integrated design systems. We tried to avoid this ambiguity by adopting the definition of integrated design systems that is implied in the introductory notes that we provided to our contacts, cited earlier. We thus arrived at this definition: Integrated Design Systems refers to the integration of the different tools and processes that comprise the engineering, of complex systems. It takes a broad view of the engineering of systems, to include consideration of the entire product realization process and the product life cycle. An important aspect of integrated design systems is the extent to which they integrate existing, "islands of automation" into a comprehensive design and product realization environment. As the study progressed, we relied increasingly upon a networking approach to lead us to new information. The departure point for such searches often was a government-sponsored project or a company initiative. The advantage of this approach was that short conversations with knowledgeable persons would usually cut through confusion over differences of terminology, thereby somewhat reducing the search space of the study. Even so, it was not until late in our eight-month inquiry that we began to see signs of convergence of the search, in the sense that a number of the latest inquiries began to turn up references to earlier contacts. As suggested above, this convergence often occurred with respect to particular government or company projects.

Microblogging for Class: An Analysis of Affective, Cognitive, Personal Integrative, and Social Integrative Gratifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gant, Camilla; Hadley, Patrick D.

2014-01-01

This study shows that undergraduate students can gratify cognitive, affective, social integrative, and personal integrative needs microblogging via a learning management system discussion tool. Moreover, the researchers find that microblogging about news regarding mass media events and issues via Blackboard heightened engagement, expanded…

The Practice of Integrity Within the University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calabrese, Raymond L.; Barton, Angela Calabrese

2000-01-01

Examines the practice of integrity within university programs and its relation to faculty and the community, and presents case studies that demonstrate the complexity of organizational integrity. States that aligning values with practical theories requires a commitment to ethical action and integrity in order to fulfill the tenets of the…

Teaching Integration Applications Using Manipulatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatia, Kavita; Premadasa, Kirthi; Martin, Paul

2014-01-01

Calculus students' difficulties in understanding integration have been extensively studied. Research shows that the difficulty lies with students understanding of the definition of the definite integral as a limit of a Riemann sum and with the idea of accumulation inherent in integration. We have created a set of manipulatives and activities…

Preservice and In-Service Teachers' Perceptions toward Technology Benefits and Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaulding, Michael

2013-01-01

This study examined preservice teacher attitudes toward and expected technology integration practices as compared to in-service teachers' attitudes toward and actual (self-reported) practice of technology integration. The preservice teachers revealed a greater level of confidence in their ability to integrate technology and more positive beliefs…

The Impact of Technology Integration through a Transformative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cubillos, Jo Ann

2013-01-01

The integration of technology into classroom instruction in K-12 schools remains problematic. The problems associated with this integration are troubling, as technology integration may change a teacher's pedagogy toward more innovative approaches that increase student achievement. The purpose of this study was to document teachers' experiences as…

Teacher-Education Student Perceptions for Stages of Concern Related to Integrating Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quadrini, Virginia Horak

2013-01-01

In this study, research includes support for technology integration in the classroom. The National Education Technology Plan Summary (2010) included research to support the requirement of teachers to integrate technology into instruction. Teacher-education student programs need to include additional training for integrating technology into…

Technology Integration Coursework and Finding Meaning in Pre-Service Teachers' Reflective Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmons, Royce; Miller, Brant G.; Amador, Julie; Desjardins, Christopher David; Hall, Cassidy

2015-01-01

This study seeks to inform teacher preparation programs regarding technology integration by understanding (1) relationships between tasks with specific technologies and pre-service teachers' critical thinking about technology integration and (2) relationships between how pre-service teachers are critically thinking about technology integration and…

Teaching Integrative Thought: Techniques and Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malloy, Thomas E.

Focusing on techniques for teaching students to integrate diverse ideas at a deep level of cognitive processing, a study evaluated an idea integration package for teaching writing in the college classroom. Subjects, 29 college students from an introductory psychology class at a Utah university, were divided into two groups. The integration group…

Examples of the Integration of Technology in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kealey, Robert J., Ed.

This book presents the following case studies of how some Catholic schools have integrated technology: (1) "A Plan for the Integration of Technology" (Teresa Anthony); (2) "Integrating Technology in the Classroom" (Charlotte Bennett); (3) "From Commodore 64 to the Millennium Technology" (Ann Heidkamp); (4) "A Technology Project for the Eighth…

Blurring Boundaries: Correlates of Integration and Segmentation between Work and Nonwork

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson-Buchanan, Julie B.; Boswell, Wendy R.

2006-01-01

This study investigates the interrelations among role integration-segmentation, role identification, reactions to interruptions, and work-life conflict. Results from a field survey of university staff employees suggest that as highly identified roles are integrated into other domains, high role integration is related to less negative reactions to…

Assessment of Consultation and Intervention Implementation: A Review of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier-Meek, Melissa A.; Sanetti, Lisa M. H.

2014-01-01

Reviews of treatment outcome literature indicate treatment integrity is not regularly assessed. In consultation, two levels of treatment integrity (i.e., consultant procedural integrity [CPI] and intervention treatment integrity [ITI]) provide relevant implementation data. Specifically, assessment of CPI and ITI are necessary to conclude (a)…

77 FR 511 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-05

... . Name of Committee: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics Integrated Review Group, Molecular Genetics B Study...: Digestive, Kidney and Urological Systems Integrated Review Group, Clinical, Integrative and Molecular...

A Cooperative Learning Group Procedure for Improving CTE and Science Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spindler, Matt

2016-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to create information about the employment of Cooperative Learning Groups (CLG) to enhance the science integrating learning objectives utilized in secondary CTE courses. The objectives of the study were to determine if CLGs were an effective means for increasing the number of: a) science integrating learning…

Integrated Project Management: A Case Study in Integrating Cost, Schedule, Technical, and Risk Areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Greg

2004-01-01

This viewgraph presentation describes a case study as a model for integrated project management. The ISS Program Office (ISSPO) developed replacement fluid filtration cartridges in house for the International Space Station (ISS). The presentation includes a step-by-step procedure and organizational charts for how the fluid filtration problem was approached.

Math, Science, and Engineering Integration in a High School Engineering Course: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valtorta, Clara G.; Berland, Leema K.

2015-01-01

Engineering in K-12 classrooms has been receiving expanding emphasis in the United States. The integration of science, mathematics, and engineering is a benefit and goal of K-12 engineering; however, current empirical research on the efficacy of K-12 science, mathematics, and engineering integration is limited. This study adds to this growing…

An Investigation of Visual Contour Integration Ability in Relation to Writing Performance in Primary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li-Tsang, Cecilia W. P.; Wong, Agnes S. K.; Chan, Jackson Y.; Lee, Amos Y. T.; Lam, Miko C. Y.; Wong, C. W.; Lu, Zhonglin

2012-01-01

A previous study found a visual deficit in contour integration in English readers with dyslexia (Simmers & Bex, 2001). Visual contour integration may play an even more significant role in Chinese handwriting particularly due to its logographic presentation (Lam, Au, Leung, & Li-Tsang, 2011). The current study examined the relationship…

Determinants of International Students' Adaptation: Examining Effects of Integrative Motivation, Instrumental Motivation and Second Language Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Baohua; Downing, Kevin

2012-01-01

This study examined the influence of integrative motivation, instrumental motivation and second language (L2) proficiency on socio-cultural/academic adaptation in a sample of two groups of international students studying Chinese in China. Results revealed that the non-Asian student group reported higher levels of integrative motivation,…

Effectively Integrating an International Field Study into the EMBA Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotner, John; Jones, Raymond; Kashlak, Roger

2003-01-01

An international field study (IFS) is an integral part of the EMBA program because of the various critical roles it plays. This international travel experience is a value-added activity not only as "stand alone" vehicle for understanding macro-level environments and firm-level strategic initiatives, but also as a tool that integrates other pieces…

Exploration of Secondary Students' Creativity by Integrating Web-Based Technology into an Innovative Science Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jang, Syh-Jong

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate how web-based technology could be utilized and integrated with real-life scientific materials to stimulate the creativity of secondary school students. One certified science teacher and 31 seventh graders participated in this study. Several real-life experience science sessions integrated with online…

Merging Regular and Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs: The Integrated Special Education-English Project (ISEP).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Darcy E.

1991-01-01

Describes the Integrated Special Education-English Project (ISEP) which facilitated the gradual integration of special education and English teacher preparation programs. A description of the ISEP model and a case study are included. The case study indicated student teachers who participated in the ISEP improved special education and English…

Conditions for the Successful Implementation of Teacher Educator Design Teams for ICT Integration: A Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becuwe, Heleen; Roblin, Natalie Pareja; Tondeur, Jo; Thys, Jeroen; Castelein, Els; Voogt, Joke

2017-01-01

Teacher educators often struggle to model effective integration of technology. Several studies suggest that the involvement of teacher educators in collaborative design is effective in developing the competences necessary for integrating information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching. In a teacher educator design team (TeDT), two or…

Practitioners' Perspectives on the Application of Integration Theory in the Saudi EFL Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almalki, Mansoor S.; Soomro, Abdul Fattah

2017-01-01

There is a close connection between reading and writing. Several studies suggest integrating reading in the instruction of teaching writing skills to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner. This study seeks to determine the extent Saudi EFL teachers support, apply and understand the theory of integration between reading and writing. To…

How to Enlarge the Scope of the Curriculum Integration of Mathematics and Science (CIMAS): A Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Minkee; Aktan, Tugba

2014-01-01

Studies have not yet consented whether integrating mathematics into science would enhance students' learning or confuse their understanding of abstract mathematical concepts. In spite of the social need for solving social-scientific problems with multiple facets, there has not been a holistic integration model of the disciplines. Hence, this study…

A Differential GPS Aided Ins for Aircraft Landings

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-12-01

Pseudolite during the Landing A pproach .................................................................................................. 4-9 4.2.1...for precision approaches, areas associated with accuracy, coverage, integrity availability, and aircraft integration must be studied and 1-3...publications [13,20,27,30,57,59] suggests very few studies have been performed which use an integrated INS/GPS for precision approaches. The majority of

76 FR 24891 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-03

... Integrated Review Group. Molecular Neurogenetics Study Section. Date: June 2-3, 2011. Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m... Review Group, Cancer Genetics Study Section. Date: June 9-10, 2011. Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Agenda: To..., [email protected] . Name of Committee: Cell Biology Integrated Review Group, Molecular and Integrative...

A Discursive Formation that Undermined Integration at a Historically Advantaged School in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidoo, Devika

2010-01-01

This paper provides an analysis of the extent of integration at a historically advantaged school. A qualitative multi-method case study allowed for in-depth analysis of integration in the school. Bernstein's theory of code, classification, boundary and power framed the study. Data analysis showed that: racial desegregation was achieved at student…

The Integration of a Three-Year-Long Intercultural Collaborative Project into a Foreign Language Classroom for the Development of Intercultural Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirotani, Maki; Fujii, Kiyomi

2015-01-01

Many studies on intercultural communication introduced how their collaborative projects were conducted. There are also several studies that discuss how intercultural collaborative activities can be integrated into a foreign language curriculum, as well as a big project (the INTENT project) that helps teachers integrate collaborative activities…

Integrating Art into Group Treatment for Adults with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Carol-Lynne J.

2015-01-01

Current research supports the use of exposure-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and integrated treatments show potential for enhanced symptom reduction. This pilot study developed a manualized group treatment integrating art interventions with exposure, grounding, and narrative therapy for five adults with PTSD who were…

Value-Based Interactive Multimedia Development through Integrated Practice for the Formation of Students' Character

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Komalasari, Kokom; Saripudin, Didin

2017-01-01

This study aims to describe the development of value-based interactive multimedia through integrated practice for the formation of students' character. This study uses Research and Development Design at the Department of Social Sciences Education at Indonesia University of Education. Conceptually, the design in question is integration of living…

Off the Wall: A Case Study of Changing Teacher Perceptions of Arts-Integrated Pedagogy and Student Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windsor-Liscombe, Suzanne Gloria

2016-01-01

This paper, derived from a larger case study, presents new perspectives on arts-integrated elementary schools. It focusses on several issues including teacher understandings of arts-integrated pedagogy, willingness to collaborate, arts credentials, and teacher perceptions of those students enrolling from outside catchment area. Hence it raises the…

Seeking the Optimal Time for Integrated Curriculum in Jinan University School of Medicine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Sanqiang; Cheng, Xin; Zhou, Yanghai; Li, Ke; Yang, Xuesong

2017-01-01

The curricular integration of the basic sciences and clinical medicine has been conducted for over 40 years and proved to increase medical students' study interests and clinical reasoning. However, there is still no solid data suggesting what time, freshmen or year 3, is optimal to begin with the integrated curriculum. In this study, the…

A Study about the Academic Integrity of Second-Year Aviation Students in U.S. Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asim, Muhammad; Chambers, Cheryl; González, Ramón-Osvaldo; Morote, Elsa-Sofia; Walter, Richard J.

2015-01-01

This study measures the influence of an ethics course on the academic integrity of second-year college students enrolled in an aviation program in the United States and their beliefs about following Federal Aviation Regulations standards. Academic integrity is defined by three variables: beliefs about not cheating, beliefs about exhibiting moral…

ICT Integration in the Classroom: Challenging the Potential of a School Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tondeur, Jo; van Keer, Hilde; van Braak, Johan; Valcke, Martin

2008-01-01

Despite the assumption that the integration of ICT influences the entire school system, research focusing on ICT in schools is generally limited to the study of variables at class level. In contrast to these studies, the present research explores ICT integration from a school improvement approach. More particularly, it examines the local school…

Investigating Practices in Teacher Education That Promote and Inhibit Technology Integration Transfer in Early Career Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenner, Aimee M.; Brill, Jennifer M.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify instructional technology integration strategies and practices in preservice teacher education that contribute to the transfer of technology integration knowledge and skills to the instructional practices of early career teachers. This study used a two-phase, sequential explanatory strategy. Data were…

CAI: A Model for the Comparison and Selection of Integrated Learning Systems in Large School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Resta, Paul E.; Rost, Paul

The Albuquerque (New Mexico) Public Schools conducted a three-year study of integrated computer-based learning systems, including WICAT, Dolphin, PLATO, CCC, and DEGEM. Through cooperation with the Education Consolidation Improvement Act Chapter 1 program, four large integrated learning systems (ILS) were purchased and studied. They were installed…

Measuring healthcare integration: Operationalization of a framework for a systems evaluation of palliative care structures, processes, and outcomes.

PubMed

Bainbridge, Daryl; Brazil, Kevin; Ploeg, Jenny; Krueger, Paul; Taniguchi, Alan

2016-06-01

Healthcare integration is a priority in many countries, yet there remains little direction on how to systematically evaluate this construct to inform further development. The examination of community-based palliative care networks provides an ideal opportunity for the advancement of integration measures, in consideration of how fundamental provider cohesion is to effective care at end of life. This article presents a variable-oriented analysis from a theory-based case study of a palliative care network to help bridge the knowledge gap in integration measurement. Data from a mixed-methods case study were mapped to a conceptual framework for evaluating integrated palliative care and a visual array depicting the extent of key factors in the represented palliative care network was formulated. The study included data from 21 palliative care network administrators, 86 healthcare professionals, and 111 family caregivers, all from an established palliative care network in Ontario, Canada. The framework used to guide this research proved useful in assessing qualities of integration and functioning in the palliative care network. The resulting visual array of elements illustrates that while this network performed relatively well at the multiple levels considered, room for improvement exists, particularly in terms of interventions that could facilitate the sharing of information. This study, along with the other evaluative examples mentioned, represents important initial attempts at empirically and comprehensively examining network-integrated palliative care and healthcare integration in general. © The Author(s) 2016.

Velocity time integral for right upper pulmonary vein in VLBW infants with patent ductus arteriosus.

PubMed

Lista, Gianluca; Bianchi, Silvia; Mannarino, Savina; Schena, Federico; Castoldi, Francesca; Stronati, Mauro; Mosca, Fabio

2016-10-01

Early diagnosis of significant patent ductus arteriosus reduces the risk of clinical worsening in very low birth weight infants. Echocardiographic patent ductus arteriosus shunt flow pattern can be used to predict significant patent ductus arteriosus. Pulmonary venous flow, expressed as vein velocity time integral, is correlated to ductus arteriosus closure. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between significant reductions in vein velocity time integral and non-significant patent ductus arteriosus in the first week of life. A multicenter, prospective, observational study was conducted to evaluate very low birth weight infants (<1500 g) on respiratory support. Echocardiography was used to evaluate vein velocity time integral on days 1 and 4 of life. The relationship between vein velocity time integral and other parameters was studied. In total, 98 very low birth weight infants on respiratory support were studied. On day 1 of life, vein velocity time integral was similar in patients with open or closed ductus. The mean vein velocity time integral significantly reduced in the first four days of life. On the fourth day of life, there was less of a reduction in patients with patent ductus compared to those with closed patent ductus arteriosus and the difference was significant. A significant reduction in vein velocity time integral in the first days of life is associated with ductus closure. This parameter correlates well with other echocardiographic parameters and may aid in the diagnosis and management of patent ductus arteriosus.

Typology of birth centres in the Netherlands using the Rainbow model of integrated care: results of the Dutch Birth Centre Study.

PubMed

Boesveld, Inge C; Bruijnzeels, Marc A; Hitzert, Marit; Hermus, Marieke A A; van der Pal-de Bruin, Karin M; van den Akker-van Marle, M E; Steegers, Eric A P; Franx, Arie; de Vries, Raymond G; Wiegers, Therese A

2017-06-21

The goal of integrated care is to offer a continuum of care that crosses the boundaries of public health, primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Integrated care is increasingly promoted for people with complex needs and has also recently been promoted in maternity care systems to improve the quality of care. Especially when located near an obstetric unit, birth centres are considered to be ideal settings for the realization of integrated care. At present, however, we know very little about the degree of integration in these centres and we do not know if increased levels of integration improve the quality of the care delivered. The Dutch Birth Centre Study is designed to evaluate birth centres and their contribution to the Dutch maternity care system. The aim of this particular sub-study is to classify birth centres in clusters with similar characteristics based on integration profiles, to support the evaluation of birth centre care. This study is based on the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care. We used a survey followed by qualitative interviews in 23 birth centres in the Netherlands to determine which integration profiles can be distinguished and to describe their discriminating characteristics. Cluster analysis was used to classify the birth centres. Birth centres were classified into three clusters: 1)"Mono-disciplinary-oriented birth centres" (n = 10): which are mainly owned by primary care organizations and established as physical facilities to provide an alternative birthplace for low risk births; 2) "Multi-disciplinary-oriented birth centres" (n = 6): which are mainly multi-disciplinary oriented and can be regarded as facilities to give birth, with a focus on integrated birth care; 3) "Mixed Cluster of birth centres" (n = 7): which have a range of organizational forms that differentiate them from centres in the other clusters. We identified a recognizable classification, with similar characteristics between birth centres in the clusters. The results of this study can be used to relate integration profiles of birth centres to quality of care, costs, and perinatal outcomes. This assessment makes it possible to develop recommendations with regard to the type and degree of integration of Dutch birth centres in the future.

Behavior problems, foster home integration, and evidence-based behavioral interventions: What predicts adoption of foster children?

PubMed Central

Leathers, Sonya J.; Spielfogel, Jill E.; Gleeson, James P.; Rolock, Nancy

2015-01-01

Objectives Adoption is particularly important for foster children with special mental health needs who are unable to return home, as adoption increases parental support often critically needed by youth with mental health issues. Unfortunately, significant behavior problems frequently inhibit foster parents from adopting, and little is known about factors that predict adoption when a child has behavior problems. Previous research suggests that foster parent behavioral training could potentially increase rates of successful adoptions for pre-school-aged foster children with behavior problems (Fisher, Kim, & Pears, 2009), but this has not been previously tested in older samples. In older children, effective treatment of behavior problems might also increase adoption by reducing the interference of behavior problems and strengthening the child’s foster home integration. This pilot study focused on this question by testing associations between behavior problems, foster home integration, an evidence-based foster parent intervention, and adoption likelihood. Methods This study used an intent-to-treat design to compare foster home integration and adoption likelihood for 31 foster children with histories of abuse and neglect whose foster parents received a foster behavioral parenting intervention (see Chamberlain, 2003) or usual services. Random effect regression analyses were used to estimate outcomes across four time points. Results As expected, externalizing behavior problems had a negative effect on both integration and adoption, and foster home integration had an independent positive effect on adoption. Internalizing behavior problems (e.g., depression/anxiety) were not related to adoption or integration. However, the intervention did not have a direct effect on either foster home integration or adoption despite its positive effect on behavior problems. Conclusions Results from this preliminary study provide further evidence of the negative effect of externalizing behavior problems on adoption. Its findings also suggest that foster home integration is an important dimension of foster home adaptation that appears particularly relevant to chances for adoption. While behavior problems appear to weaken foster home integration, integration is also an independent predictor of adoption likelihood. If these results are replicated in a larger study, consideration of foster home integration in case planning and future intervention studies focused on increasing permanency could potentially improve outcomes for foster children with behavior problems. PMID:26617425

Patients with integrated HPV16 in head and neck cancer show poor survival.

PubMed

Nulton, Tara J; Kim, Nak-Kyeong; DiNardo, Laurence J; Morgan, Iain M; Windle, Brad

2018-05-01

We previously reported identifying three categories of HPV16-positive head and neck tumors based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA and DNA sequence data. Category 1 had truly integrated HPV16 genomes, category 2 had simple episomal genomes, and category 3 had novel episomes that were a hybrid between viral and human DNA. Using our categorization, we investigated in this study survival of patients with integrated HPV16 tumors versus patients with episomal HPV16 tumors. The TCGA RNA-Seq sequence reads were used to quantify HPV E2 and E7 gene expression, which was used as a marker for HPV integration. The results demonstrate that integration is associated with poor survival; those patients with integrated HPV tumors fared no better than non-HPV tumors in their five-year survival. Integrated HPV in tumors was found strikingly to be prevalent in patients born earlier while episomal HPV was prevalent in patients born later. We also observed a fairly constant incidence of all HPV forms among head and neck cancer patients over the last eight years of this study (2006-2013). We propose our characterization of HPV integrated and episomal state is more accurate than previous studies that may have mischaracterized the hybrid HPV-human DNA episomes as integrated. The state of integrated HPV is associated with a poor clinical outcome. Results suggest that the incidence of integrated HPV among all HPV forms peaked and is decreasing. We discuss the importance of our findings for the management of HPV positive head and neck cancer. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Patient-provider disconnect: A qualitative exploration of understanding and perceptions to care integration

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Integrated care has been well-recognized as a solution to improve quality of care for patients with complex needs. As Singapore increasingly develops and promotes integrated models of care, it is unclear if providers, patients, and caregivers share similar understanding of changes in the healthcare system. Objectives This study aims at exploring three dimensions of care integration: a) understanding of integration; b) challenges and c) changes perceived as essential among three distinct stakeholder groups: providers, patients and caregivers. Methods This qualitative study was conducted among 41 care providers (clinicians and administrators) and care consumers (patients and caregivers) in Singapore utilizing 29 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus group discussions. Study participants were selected by purposive, snowball sampling from various clinical settings. Data were transcribed, familiarized, coded and analyzed using a conceptual framework. Results Understanding of care integration was generally lacking among patient and caregivers. Most of them focused on healthcare costs and accessibility of services. Providers characterized care integration in clinical process terms and had a more systems view of the concept. Most participants viewed resource constraints as a key challenge in integrating care. Additionally, providers expressed the need for patients and their families to play a greater role in managing their health. Individuals and the community are key components of an integrated care system in the future. Reliance on the healthcare system alone is not sustainable. Conclusions Patients, caregivers and providers have varying degrees of understanding towards care integration. The success of engaging stakeholders on the ground to be active participants in the healthcare system integration process requires policymakers and healthcare leaders to increase patient engagement efforts and to better appreciate the challenges faced by the healthcare workers in the rapidly changing national and global healthcare landscape. PMID:29077758

Minimum accommodation for aerobrake assembly, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katzberg, Stephen J.; Haynes, Davy A.; Tutterow, Robin D.; Watson, Judith J.; Russell, James W.

1994-01-01

A multi-element study was done to assess the practicality of a Space Station Freedom-based aerobrake system for the Space Exploration Initiative. The study was organized into six parts related to structure, aerodynamics, robotics and assembly, thermal protection system, inspection, and verification, all tied together by an integration study. The integration activity managed the broad issues related to meeting mission requirements. This report is a summary of the issues addressed by the integration team.

The State of Integration of the Virtual Learning Environment and ICT into the Pedagogy of the Royal University of Bhutan: A Descriptive Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choeda; Penjor, Tandin; Dupka, Dorji; Zander, Pär-Ola

2016-01-01

This paper reports a descriptive research study on the integration of ICT and pedagogy in the colleges of the Royal University of Bhutan. It investigates whether ICT is integrated into the pedagogy and, if so, in what way. The study identifies the use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) as the key technology, which is used as part of…

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Integration of a LITEE Case Study for a Freshman Level Mechanical Engineering Course at The University of Toledo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franchetti, Matthew

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of the integration of a manufacturing case study to a freshman level mechanical engineering course at The University of Toledo. The approach to integrate this case study into the class was completed via weekly assignments analyzing the case, small group discussion, and weekly group discussion.…

Liquid rocket booster integration study. Volume 4: Reviews and presentation material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Liquid rocket booster integration study is presented. Volume 4 contains materials presented at the MSFC/JSC/KSC Integrated Reviews and Working Group Sessions, and the Progress Reviews presented to the KSC Study Manager. The following subject areas are covered: initial impact assessment; conflicts with the on-going STS mission; access to the LRB at the PAD; the activation schedule; transition requirements; cost methodology; cost modelling approach; and initial life cycle cost.

Assessing the Role of Surgical Strike Operations in Support of a Special Warfare Campaign

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

16 Surgical Strike Management and Integration ............................................................... 19 Summary...Integration and Management .................................................................................... 37 Case Study 2 VSO in Kunar Province...Effectiveness ............................................................................................................. 48 Integration and Management

Mechanical stimulation enhances integration in an in vitro model of cartilage repair.

PubMed

Theodoropoulos, John S; DeCroos, Amritha J N; Petrera, Massimo; Park, Sam; Kandel, Rita A

2016-06-01

(1) To characterize the effects of mechanical stimulation on the integration of a tissue-engineered construct in terms of histology, biochemistry and biomechanical properties; (2) to identify whether cells of the implant or host tissue were critical to implant integration; and (3) to study cells believed to be involved in lateral integration of tissue-engineered cartilage to host cartilage. We hypothesized that mechanical stimulation would enhance the integration of the repair implant with host cartilage in an in vitro integration model. Articular cartilage was harvested from 6- to 9-month-old bovine metacarpal-phalangeal joints. Constructs composed of tissue-engineered cartilage implanted into host cartilage were placed in spinner bioreactors and maintained on a magnetic stir plate at either 0 (static control) or 90 (experimental) rotations per minute (RPM). The constructs from both the static and spinner bioreactors were harvested after either 2 or 4 weeks of culture and evaluated histologically, biochemically, biomechanically and for gene expression. The extent and strength of integration between tissue-engineered cartilage and native cartilage improved significantly with both time and mechanical stimulation. Integration did not occur if the implant was not viable. The presence of stimulation led to a significant increase in collagen content in the integration zone between host and implant at 2 weeks. The gene profile of cells in the integration zone differs from host cartilage demonstrating an increase in the expression of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), aggrecan and type II collagen. This study shows that the integration of in vitro tissue-engineered implants with host tissue improves with mechanical stimulation. The findings of this study suggests that consideration should be given to implementing early loading (mechanical stimulation) into future in vivo studies investigating the long-term viability and integration of tissue-engineered cartilage for the treatment of cartilage injuries. This could simply be done through the use of continuous passive motion (CPM) in the post-operative period or through a more complex and structured rehabilitation program with a gradual increase in forces across the joint over time.

Decentralized Multisensory Information Integration in Neural Systems.

PubMed

Zhang, Wen-Hao; Chen, Aihua; Rasch, Malte J; Wu, Si

2016-01-13

How multiple sensory cues are integrated in neural circuitry remains a challenge. The common hypothesis is that information integration might be accomplished in a dedicated multisensory integration area receiving feedforward inputs from the modalities. However, recent experimental evidence suggests that it is not a single multisensory brain area, but rather many multisensory brain areas that are simultaneously involved in the integration of information. Why many mutually connected areas should be needed for information integration is puzzling. Here, we investigated theoretically how information integration could be achieved in a distributed fashion within a network of interconnected multisensory areas. Using biologically realistic neural network models, we developed a decentralized information integration system that comprises multiple interconnected integration areas. Studying an example of combining visual and vestibular cues to infer heading direction, we show that such a decentralized system is in good agreement with anatomical evidence and experimental observations. In particular, we show that this decentralized system can integrate information optimally. The decentralized system predicts that optimally integrated information should emerge locally from the dynamics of the communication between brain areas and sheds new light on the interpretation of the connectivity between multisensory brain areas. To extract information reliably from ambiguous environments, the brain integrates multiple sensory cues, which provide different aspects of information about the same entity of interest. Here, we propose a decentralized architecture for multisensory integration. In such a system, no processor is in the center of the network topology and information integration is achieved in a distributed manner through reciprocally connected local processors. Through studying the inference of heading direction with visual and vestibular cues, we show that the decentralized system can integrate information optimally, with the reciprocal connections between processers determining the extent of cue integration. Our model reproduces known multisensory integration behaviors observed in experiments and sheds new light on our understanding of how information is integrated in the brain. Copyright © 2016 Zhang et al.

Decentralized Multisensory Information Integration in Neural Systems

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wen-hao; Chen, Aihua

2016-01-01

How multiple sensory cues are integrated in neural circuitry remains a challenge. The common hypothesis is that information integration might be accomplished in a dedicated multisensory integration area receiving feedforward inputs from the modalities. However, recent experimental evidence suggests that it is not a single multisensory brain area, but rather many multisensory brain areas that are simultaneously involved in the integration of information. Why many mutually connected areas should be needed for information integration is puzzling. Here, we investigated theoretically how information integration could be achieved in a distributed fashion within a network of interconnected multisensory areas. Using biologically realistic neural network models, we developed a decentralized information integration system that comprises multiple interconnected integration areas. Studying an example of combining visual and vestibular cues to infer heading direction, we show that such a decentralized system is in good agreement with anatomical evidence and experimental observations. In particular, we show that this decentralized system can integrate information optimally. The decentralized system predicts that optimally integrated information should emerge locally from the dynamics of the communication between brain areas and sheds new light on the interpretation of the connectivity between multisensory brain areas. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To extract information reliably from ambiguous environments, the brain integrates multiple sensory cues, which provide different aspects of information about the same entity of interest. Here, we propose a decentralized architecture for multisensory integration. In such a system, no processor is in the center of the network topology and information integration is achieved in a distributed manner through reciprocally connected local processors. Through studying the inference of heading direction with visual and vestibular cues, we show that the decentralized system can integrate information optimally, with the reciprocal connections between processers determining the extent of cue integration. Our model reproduces known multisensory integration behaviors observed in experiments and sheds new light on our understanding of how information is integrated in the brain. PMID:26758843

Combining Comprehensive Analysis of Off-Site Lambda Phage Integration with a CRISPR-Based Means of Characterizing Downstream Physiology.

PubMed

Tanouchi, Yu; Covert, Markus W

2017-09-19

During its lysogenic life cycle, the phage genome is integrated into the host chromosome by site-specific recombination. In this report, we analyze lambda phage integration into noncanonical sites using next-generation sequencing and show that it generates significant genetic diversity by targeting over 300 unique sites in the host Escherichia coli genome. Moreover, these integration events can have important phenotypic consequences for the host, including changes in cell motility and increased antibiotic resistance. Importantly, the new technologies that we developed to enable this study-sequencing secondary sites using next-generation sequencing and then selecting relevant lysogens using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9-based selection-are broadly applicable to other phage-bacterium systems. IMPORTANCE Bacteriophages play an important role in bacterial evolution through lysogeny, where the phage genome is integrated into the host chromosome. While phage integration generally occurs at a specific site in the host chromosome, it is also known to occur at other, so-called secondary sites. In this study, we developed a new experimental technology to comprehensively study secondary integration sites and discovered that phage can integrate into over 300 unique sites in the host genome, resulting in significant genetic diversity in bacteria. We further developed an assay to examine the phenotypic consequence of such diverse integration events and found that phage integration can cause changes in evolutionarily relevant traits such as bacterial motility and increases in antibiotic resistance. Importantly, our method is readily applicable to other phage-bacterium systems. Copyright © 2017 Tanouchi and Covert.

Teacher Perceptions of the Integration of Laptop Computers in Their High School Biology Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gundy, Morag S.

2011-12-01

Studies indicate that teachers, and in particular science teachers in the senior high school grades, do not integrate laptop computers into their instruction to the extent anticipated by researchers. This technology has not spread easily to other teachers even with improved access to hardware and software, increased support, and a paradigm shift from teacher-centred to student-centred education. Although a number of studies have focused on the issues and problems related to the integration of laptops in classroom instruction, these studies, largely quantitative in nature, have tended to bypass the role teachers play in integrating laptop computers into their instruction. This thesis documents and describes the role of Ontario high school science teachers in the integration of laptop computers in the classroom. Ten teachers who have successfully integrated laptop computers into their biology courses participated in this descriptive study. Their perceptions of implementing laptops into their biology courses, key factors about the implementation process, and how the implementation was accomplished are examined. The study also identifies the conditions which they feel would allow this innovation to be implemented by other teachers. Key findings of the study indicate that teachers must initiate, implement and sustain an emergent and still evolving innovation; teacher perceptions change and continue to change with increased experience using laptops in the science classroom; changes in teaching approaches are significant as a result of the introduction of laptop technology; and, the teachers considered the acquisition and use of new teaching materials to be an important aspect of integrating laptop computers into instruction. Ongoing challenges for appropriate professional development, sharing of knowledge, skills and teaching materials are identified. The study provides a body of practical knowledge for biology teachers who are considering the integration of laptops into their instruction. The results are of interest to science teachers, those whose decisions affect the meaningful integration of technology in science education, those researching the teaching of science in secondary schools and those who prepare science graduates to teach at this level. Key Words: innovation, laptop, computer, biology, science, secondary, implementation, perceptions, instruction, professional development, qualitative, descriptive.

An equivalent domain integral for analysis of two-dimensional mixed mode problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raju, I. S.; Shivakumar, K. N.

1989-01-01

An equivalent domain integral (EDI) method for calculating J-integrals for two-dimensional cracked elastic bodies subjected to mixed mode loading is presented. The total and product integrals consist of the sum of an area or domain integral and line integrals on the crack faces. The EDI method gave accurate values of the J-integrals for two mode I and two mixed mode problems. Numerical studies showed that domains consisting of one layer of elements are sufficient to obtain accurate J-integral values. Two procedures for separating the individual modes from the domain integrals are presented. The procedure that uses the symmetric and antisymmetric components of the stress and displacement fields to calculate the individual modes gave accurate values of the integrals for all the problems analyzed.

Connecting Symbolic Integrals to Physical Meaning in Introductory Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amos, Nathaniel R.

This dissertation presents a series of studies pertaining to introductory physics students' abilities to derive physical meaning from symbolic integrals (e.g., the integral of vdt) and their components, namely differentials and differential products (e.g., dt and vdt, respectively). Our studies focus on physical meaning in the form of interpretations (e.g., "the total displacement of an object") and units (e.g., "meters"). Our first pair of studies independently attempted to identify introductory-level mechanics students' common conceptual difficulties with and unproductive interpretations of physics integrals and their components, as well as to estimate the frequencies of these difficulties. Our results confirmed some previously-observed incorrect interpretations, such as the notion that differentials are physically meaningless; however, we also uncovered two new conceptualizations of differentials, the "rate" (differentials are "rates" or "derivatives") and "instantaneous value" (differentials are values of physical variables "at an instant") interpretations, which were exhibited by more than half of our participants at least once. Our next study used linear regression analysis to estimate the strengths of the inter-connections between the abilities to derive physical meaning from each of differentials, differential products, and integrals in both first- and second-semester, calculus-based introductory physics. As part of this study, we also developed a highly reliable, multiple choice assessment designed to measure students' abilities to connect symbolic differentials, differential products, and integrals with their physical interpretations and units. Findings from this study were consistent with statistical mediation via differential products. In particular, students' abilities to extract physical meaning from differentials were seen to be strongly related to their abilities to derive physical meaning from differential products, and similarly differential products to integrals; there was seen to be almost no direct connection between the abilities to derive physical meaning from differentials and the abilities to derive physical meaning from integrals. Our final pair of studies intended to implement and quantitatively assess the efficacy of specially-designed instructional tutorials in controlled experiments (with several treatment factors that may impact performance, most notably the effect of feedback during training) for the purpose of promoting better connection between symbolic differentials, differential products, and integrals with their corresponding physical meaning. Results from both experiments consistently and conclusively demonstrated that the ability to connect verbal and symbolic representations of integrals and their components is greatly improved by the provision of electronic feedback during training. We believe that these results signify the first instance of a large, controlled experiment involving introductory physics students that has yielded significantly stronger connection of physics integrals and their components to physical meaning, compared to untrained peers.

Integrated Work Management: PIC, Course 31884

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, Lewis Edward

The person-in-charge (PIC) plays a key role in the integrated work management (IWM) process at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL, or the Laboratory) because the PIC is assigned responsibility and authority by the responsible line manager (RLM) for the overall validation, coordination, release, execution, and closeout of a work activity in accordance with IWM. This course, Integrated Work Management: PIC (Course 31884), describes the PIC’s IWM roles and responsibilities. This course also discusses IWM requirements that the PIC must meet. For a general overview of the IWM process, see self-study Course 31881, Integrated Work Management: Overview. For instruction on themore » preparer’s role, see self-study Course 31883, Integrated Work Management: Preparer.« less

Health Informatics and Technology for Integrated Elderly Care in the Context of Hong Kong: A Case Study.

PubMed

Chau, Cheuk Wing; Leung, Eman

2017-01-01

The aging population creates tremendous pressure to healthcare. To resolve, scholars recognized the solution to this challenge is integrated care. To facilitate integrated care, health information technologies (HIT) is a critical enabler. This paper will first review how technology enhanced integrated care, and review on the existing literatures in system effective use and the three key external factors that enable HIT implementation. Applying Burton-Jones and Volkoff's contextualized theories of effective use of HIT to understand the role of health informatics and technology in the unique context of Hong Kong, we have conducted a case study research to identify the levers for improving HK integration of care through HIT.

Quantifying an Integral Ecology Framework: A Case Study of the Riverina, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, Sarah A.; Haensch, Juliane; Edwards, Jane; Schirmer, Jackie; Zuo, Alec

2018-02-01

Communities in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin face the challenge of trying to achieve social, economic, and environmental sustainability; but experience entrenched conflict about the best way to achieve a sustainable future, especially for small rural communities. Integral ecology is a philosophical concept that seeks to address community, economic, social, and environmental sustainability simultaneously. Its inclusive processes are designed to reduce stakeholder conflict. However, to date the application of the integral ecology concept has been largely qualitative in nature. This study developed a quantitative integral ecology framework, and applied this framework to a case study of the Riverina, in the Murray-Darling Basin. Seventy-seven community-focused initiatives were assessed, ranked, and quantified. The majority of the community-focused ranked initiatives did not exhibit all aspects of integral ecology. Initiatives typically prioritized either (1) economic and community development or (2) environmental health; rarely both together. The integral ecology framework developed here enables recommendations on future community initiatives and may provide a pathway for community leaders and other policy-makers to more readily apply integral ecology objectives. Further research refining the framework's operationalization, application and implementation to a wider-scale may enhance communities' capacity to develop and grow sustainably.

Integrating to Learn and Learning to Integrate: A Case Study of an Online Master's Program on Science-Mathematics Integration for Middle School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Mimi Miyoung; Chauvot, Jennifer; Plankis, Brian; Vowell, Julie; Culpepper, Shea

2011-01-01

iSMART (Integration of Science, Mathematics, and Reflective Teaching) Program is an online science and mathematics integrated graduate program for middle school teachers across the state of Texas. As part of a large design-based research project, this paper describes the initial stages of the design process of the iSMART program for its first…

Implementation of Integrated Service Networks under the Quebec Mental Health Reform: Facilitators and Barriers associated with Different Territorial Profiles.

PubMed

Fleury, Marie-Josée; Grenier, Guy; Vallée, Catherine; Aubé, Denise; Farand, Lambert

2017-03-10

This study evaluates implementation of the Quebec Mental Health Reform (2005-2015), which promoted the development of integrated service networks, in 11 local service networks organized into four territorial groups according to socio-demographic characteristics and mental health services offered. Data were collected from documents concerning networks; structured questionnaires completed by 90 managers and by 16 respondent-psychiatrists; and semi-structured interviews with 102 network stakeholders. Factors associated with implementation and integration were organized according to: 1) reform characteristics; 2) implementation context; 3) organizational characteristics; and 4) integration strategies. While local networks were in a process of development and expansion, none were fully integrated at the time of the study. Facilitators and barriers to implementation and integration were primarily associated with organizational characteristics. Integration was best achieved in larger networks including a general hospital with a psychiatric department, followed by networks with a psychiatric hospital. Formalized integration strategies such as service agreements, liaison officers, and joint training reduced some barriers to implementation in networks experiencing less favourable conditions. Strategies for the implementation of healthcare reform and integrated service networks should include sustained support and training in best-practices, adequate performance indicators and resources, formalized integration strategies to improve network coordination and suitable initiatives to promote staff retention.

How to Improve Integrated Care for People with Chronic Conditions: Key Findings from EU FP-7 Project INTEGRATE and Beyond.

PubMed

Borgermans, Liesbeth; Marchal, Yannick; Busetto, Loraine; Kalseth, Jorid; Kasteng, Frida; Suija, Kadri; Oona, Marje; Tigova, Olena; Rösenmuller, Magda; Devroey, Dirk

2017-09-25

Political and public health leaders increasingly recognize the need to take urgent action to address the problem of chronic diseases and multi-morbidity. European countries are facing unprecedented demand to find new ways to deliver care to improve patient-centredness and personalization, and to avoid unnecessary time in hospitals. People-centred and integrated care has become a central part of policy initiatives to improve the access, quality, continuity, effectiveness and sustainability of healthcare systems and are thus preconditions for the economic sustainability of the EU health and social care systems. This study presents an overview of lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care based on findings from the EU FP-7 Project Integrate, a literature review, other EU projects with relevance to this study, a number of best practices on integrated care and our own experiences with research and policy making in integrated care at the national and international level. Seven lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care were identified. The lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care show that a comprehensive systems perspective should guide the development of integrated care towards better health practices, education, research and policy.

How to Improve Integrated Care for People with Chronic Conditions: Key Findings from EU FP-7 Project INTEGRATE and Beyond

PubMed Central

Marchal, Yannick; Busetto, Loraine; Kalseth, Jorid; Kasteng, Frida; Suija, Kadri; Oona, Marje; Tigova, Olena; Rösenmuller, Magda; Devroey, Dirk

2017-01-01

Background: Political and public health leaders increasingly recognize the need to take urgent action to address the problem of chronic diseases and multi-morbidity. European countries are facing unprecedented demand to find new ways to deliver care to improve patient-centredness and personalization, and to avoid unnecessary time in hospitals. People-centred and integrated care has become a central part of policy initiatives to improve the access, quality, continuity, effectiveness and sustainability of healthcare systems and are thus preconditions for the economic sustainability of the EU health and social care systems. Purpose: This study presents an overview of lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care based on findings from the EU FP-7 Project Integrate, a literature review, other EU projects with relevance to this study, a number of best practices on integrated care and our own experiences with research and policy making in integrated care at the national and international level. Results: Seven lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care were identified. Conclusion: The lessons learned and critical success factors to policy making on integrated care show that a comprehensive systems perspective should guide the development of integrated care towards better health practices, education, research and policy. PMID:29588630

The role of pollinator diversity in the evolution of corolla-shape integration in a pollination-generalist plant clade.

PubMed

Gómez, José María; Perfectti, Francisco; Klingenberg, Christian Peter

2014-08-19

Flowers of animal-pollinated plants are integrated structures shaped by the action of pollinator-mediated selection. It is widely assumed that pollination specialization increases the magnitude of floral integration. However, empirical evidence is still inconclusive. In this study, we explored the role of pollinator diversity in shaping the evolution of corolla-shape integration in Erysimum, a plant genus with generalized pollination systems. We quantified floral integration in Erysimum using geometric morphometrics and explored its evolution using phylogenetic comparative methods. Corolla-shape integration was low but significantly different from zero in all study species. Spatial autocorrelation and phylogenetic signal in corolla-shape integration were not detected. In addition, integration in Erysimum seems to have evolved in a way that is consistent with Brownian motion, but with frequent convergent evolution. Corolla-shape integration was negatively associated with the number of pollinators visiting the flowers of each Erysimum species. That is, it was lower in those species having a more generalized pollination system. This negative association may occur because the co-occurrence of many pollinators imposes conflicting selection and cancels out any consistent selection on specific floral traits, preventing the evolution of highly integrated flowers. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Integrated Micro/nanoengineered Functional Biomaterials for Cell Mechanics and Mechanobiology: A Materials Perspective

PubMed Central

Shao, Yue

2014-01-01

The rapid development of micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials in the last two decades has empowered materials scientists and bioengineers to precisely control different aspects of the in vitro cell microenvironment. Following a philosophy of reductionism, many studies using synthetic functional biomaterials have revealed instructive roles of individual extracellular biophysical and biochemical cues in regulating cellular behaviors. Development of integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials to study complex and emergent biological phenomena has also thrived rapidly in recent years, revealing adaptive and integrated cellular behaviors closely relevant to human physiological and pathological conditions. Working at the interface between materials science and engineering, biology, and medicine, we are now at the beginning of a great exploration using micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for both fundamental biology study and clinical and biomedical applications such as regenerative medicine and drug screening. In this review, we present an overview of state of the art micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials that can control precisely individual aspects of cell-microenvironment interactions and highlight them as well-controlled platforms for mechanistic studies of mechano-sensitive and -responsive cellular behaviors and integrative biology research. We also discuss the recent exciting trend where micro/nanoengineered biomaterials are integrated into miniaturized biological and biomimetic systems for dynamic multiparametric microenvironmental control of emergent and integrated cellular behaviors. The impact of integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for future in vitro studies of regenerative medicine, cell biology, as well as human development and disease models are discussed. PMID:24339188

Developing integrative primary healthcare delivery: adding a chiropractor to the team.

PubMed

Garner, Michael J; Birmingham, Michael; Aker, Peter; Moher, David; Balon, Jeff; Keenan, Dirk; Manga, Pran

2008-01-01

The use of complementary and alternative medicine has been increasing in Canada despite the lack of coverage under the universal public health insurance system. Physicians and other healthcare practitioners are now being placed in multidisciplinary teams, yet little research on integration exists. We sought to investigate the effect of integrating chiropractic on the attitudes of providers on two healthcare teams. A mixed methods design with both quantitative and qualitative components was used to assess the healthcare teams. Assessment occurred prior to integration, at midstudy, and at the end of the study (18 months). Multidisciplinary healthcare teams at two community health centers in Ottawa, Ontario, participated in the study. All physicians, nurse practitioners, and degree-trained nurses employed at two study sites were approached to take part in the study. A chiropractor was introduced into each of the two healthcare teams. A quantitative questionnaire assessed providers' opinions, experiences with collaboration, and perceptions of chiropractic care. Focus groups were used to encourage providers to communicate their experiences and perceptions of the integration and of chiropractic. Twelve providers were followed for the full 18 months of integration. The providers expressed increased willingness to trust the chiropractors in shared care (F value = 7.18; P = .004). Questions regarding the legitimacy (F value = 12.33; P < .001) and effectiveness (F value = 11.17; P < .001) of chiropractic became increasingly positive by study end. This project has demonstrated the successful integration of chiropractors into primary healthcare teams.

Mental disorders and work integration: a retrospective study in a northern italian town.

PubMed

Buizza, Chiara; Pioli, Rosaria; Lecchi, Sara; Bonetto, Chiara; Bartoli, Anna; Taglietti, Renzo; Ghilardi, Alberto; Riva, Eugenio

2013-01-01

THE PRESENT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN A VOCATIONAL INTEGRATION SERVICE OF A NORTHERN ITALIAN TOWN WITH TWO MAJOR AIMS: to assess vocational integration programs undertaken from 1(st) January 2004 to 1(st) January 2007; and to identify job tenure-associated predictors. This is a retrospective study; we collected data such as gender, age, duration, type and outcome of the vocational integration program, and number of interventions performed by the vocational integration service. Self-report questionnaires were also used to assess the satisfaction of users, caregivers, practitioners, and of the company contacts involved in the study. The service has enrolled 84 users during the observation period. Out of these users, 64.3% of them still had their jobs after three years. Users, caregivers and company contacts expressed high levels of satisfaction for the support received by the vocational integration service. The company expressed less satisfaction for the collaboration received by the Departments of Mental Health (DMHs) that coached the users. The only variable associated to the outcome was the number of interventions that the users received before their placement on the job. Despite all the limits of this study, its results show that the chance of taking advantage of a supported job placement service has likely proven itself effective in helping people with mental disorders to obtain and maintain a competitive employment. Our results, however, also point to the necessity of implementing newer strategies meant to develop a greater integration among all services dealing with mentally ill people.

The Structure and Effectiveness of Health Systems: Exploring the Impact of System Integration in Rural China.

PubMed

Wang, Xin; Birch, Stephen; Ma, Huifen; Zhu, Weiming; Meng, Qingyue

2016-08-12

Facing the challenges of aging populations, increasing chronic diseases prevalence and health system fragmentation, there have been several pilots of integrated health systems in China. But little is known about their structure, mechanism and effectiveness. The aim of this paper is to analyze health system integration and develop recommendations for achieving integration. Huangzhong and Hualong counties in Qinghai province were studied as study sites, with only Huangzhong having implemented health system integration. Questionnaires, interviews, and health insurance records were sources of data. Social network analysis was employed to analyze integration, through structure measurement and effectiveness evaluation. Health system integration in Huangzhong is higher than in Hualong, so is system effectiveness. The patient referral network in Hualong has more "leapfrog" referrals. The information sharing networks in both counties are larger than the other types of networks. The average distance in the joint training network of Huangzhong is less than in Hualong. Meanwhile, there are deficiencies common to both systems. Both county health systems have strengths and limitations regarding system integration. The use of medical consortia in Huangzhong has contributed to system effectiveness. Future research might consider alternative more context specific models of health system integration.

Evaluation and recommendations for work group integration within the Materials and Processes Lab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrington, Phillip A.

1992-01-01

The goal of this study was to evaluate and make recommendations for improving the level of integration of several work groups within the Materials and Processes Lab at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This evaluation has uncovered a variety of projects that could improve the efficiency and operation of the work groups as well as the overall integration of the system. In addition, this study provides the foundation for specification of a computer integrated manufacturing test bed environment in the Materials and Processes Lab.

Two Related Parametric Integrals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dana-Picard, T.

2007-01-01

Two related sequences of definite integrals are considered. By mixing hand-work, computer algebra system assistance and websurfing, fine connections can be studied between integrals and a couple of interesting sequences of integers. (Contains 4 tables.)

Risk of a Second Malignant Neoplasm After Cancer in Childhood Treated With Radiotherapy: Correlation With the Integral Dose Restricted to the Irradiated Fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen, France; Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif; Universite Paris XI, Villejuif

2008-03-01

Purpose: After successful treatment of cancers in childhood, the occurrence of second malignant neoplasm (SMN) came to the fore. Few studies have considered the relationship between the radiation dose received and the risk of developing an SMN. To take into account the heterogeneity of the dose distribution so as to evaluate the overall risk of an SMN after a childhood cancer, we therefore focused on the integral dose restricted to the irradiated fields. Methods and Materials: The study was performed in a cohort of 4,401 patients who were 3-year survivors of all types of childhood cancer treated between 1947 andmore » 1986 in France and Great Britain. For each patient, the integral dose was estimated for the volume inside the beam edges. Results: We found a significant dose-response relationship between the overall risk of an SMN and the estimated integral dose. The excess relative risk for each incremental unit of the integral dose was only 0.008 in a linear model and 0.017 when a negative exponential term was considered, when adjusted for chemotherapy. The risk of SMN occurrence was 2.6 times higher in the case of irradiation. However among patients who had received radiotherapy, only those who had received the highest integral dose actually had a higher risk. Conclusions: The integral dose in our study cannot be considered as a good predictor of later risks. However other studies with the same study design are obviously needed to evaluate the use of the integral dose as a tool for decision making concerning different radiotherapy techniques.« less

Length of residence and social integration: The contingent effects of neighborhood poverty

PubMed Central

Keene, Danya; Bader, Michael; Ailshire, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Given the well-established benefits of social integration for physical and mental health, studies have begun to explore how access to social ties and social support may be shaped by the residential context in which people live. As a critical health exposure, social integration may be one important mechanism by which places affect health. This paper brings together research on two previously studied contextual determinants of social integration. Specifically, we use multi-level data from the Chicago Community Adult Health Survey to investigate the relationships between an individual’s length of residence and measures of social integration. We then investigate the extent to which these relationships are moderated by neighborhood poverty. We find that the relationship between length of residence and some measures of social integration are stronger in poor neighborhoods than in more affluent ones. PMID:23501379

Integrated control-structure design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunziker, K. Scott; Kraft, Raymond H.; Bossi, Joseph A.

1991-01-01

A new approach for the design and control of flexible space structures is described. The approach integrates the structure and controller design processes thereby providing extra opportunities for avoiding some of the disastrous effects of control-structures interaction and for discovering new, unexpected avenues of future structural design. A control formulation based on Boyd's implementation of Youla parameterization is employed. Control design parameters are coupled with structural design variables to produce a set of integrated-design variables which are selected through optimization-based methodology. A performance index reflecting spacecraft mission goals and constraints is formulated and optimized with respect to the integrated design variables. Initial studies have been concerned with achieving mission requirements with a lighter, more flexible space structure. Details of the formulation of the integrated-design approach are presented and results are given from a study involving the integrated redesign of a flexible geostationary platform.

Morphological evolution through integration: a quantitative study of cranial integration in Homo, Pan, Gorilla and Pongo.

PubMed

Singh, Nandini; Harvati, Katerina; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Klingenberg, Christian P

2012-01-01

Morphological integration refers to coordinated variation among traits that are closely related in development and/or function. Patterns of integration can offer important insight into the structural relationship between phenotypic units, providing a framework to address questions about phenotypic evolvability and constraints. Integrative features of the primate cranium have recently become a popular subject of study. However, an important question that still remains under-investigated is: what is the pattern of cranial shape integration among closely related hominoids? To address this question, we conducted a Procrustes-based geometric morphometrics study to quantify and analyze shape covariation patterns between different cranial regions in Homo, Pan, Gorilla and Pongo. A total of fifty-six 3D landmarks were collected on 407 adult individuals. We then sub-divided the landmarks corresponding to cranial units as outlined in the 'functional matrix hypothesis.' Sub-dividing the cranium in this manner allowed us to explore patterns of covariation between the face, basicranium and cranial vault, using the two-block partial least squares approach. Our results suggest that integrated shape changes in the hominoid cranium are complex, but that the overall pattern of integration is similar among human and non-human apes. Thus, despite having very distinct morphologies the way in which the face, basicranium and cranial vault covary is shared among these taxa. These results imply that the pattern of cranial integration among hominoids is conserved. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding the Role of Representation in Interorganizational Knowledge Integration: A Case Study of an IT Outsourcing Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Werr, Andreas; Runsten, Philip

2013-01-01

Purpose: The current paper aims at contributing to the understanding of interorganizational knowledge integration by highlighting the role of individuals' understandings of the task and how they shape knowledge integrating behaviours. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents a framework of knowledge integration as heedful interrelating.…

Content Integration as a Factor in Math-Game Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandercruysse, Sylke; ter Vrugte, Judith; de Jong, Ton; Wouters, Pieter; van Oostendorp, Herre; Verschaffel, Lieven; Elen, Jan

2017-01-01

In this study we focus on the integration of mathematical learning content (i.e., proportional reasoning) in game-based learning environments (GBLE). More specifically, two kinds of GBLEs are set up: an extrinsically integrated GBLE and an intrinsically integrated GBLE. In the former environment, the mathematical content is not part of the core…

Influence of National Culture on the Adoption of Integrated Medical Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jippes, Marielle; Majoor, Gerard D.

2011-01-01

Integrated curricula have been implemented in medical schools all over the world. However, among countries different relative numbers of schools with integrated curricula are found. This study aims to explore the possible correlation between the percentage of medical schools with integrated curricula in a country and that country's cultural…

Elementary Education Pre-Service Teachers' Development of Mathematics Technology Integration Skills in a Technology Integration Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polly, Drew

2015-01-01

Preparing pre-service teachers to effectively integrate technology in the classroom requires rich experiences that deepen their knowledge of technology, pedagogy, and content and the intersection of these aspects. This study examined elementary education pre-service teachers' development of skills and knowledge in a technology integration course…

Postgraduate Research Students and Academic Integrity: "It's about Good Research Training"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahmud, Saadia; Bretag, Tracey

2013-01-01

Findings from a study on academic integrity at Australian universities challenge the presumption that postgraduate research students have prior knowledge of academic integrity. A review of online academic integrity policy in 39 Australian universities found that one in five policies had no mention of higher degree by research (HDR) students.…

First Year Teachers Technology Use: Perceptions of Factors Affecting Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Elodie J.

2013-01-01

For decades, technology integration into the classroom and curriculum has been at the forefront of education. Although public perception and technology funding assumes that teachers are integrating technology into the curriculum, research shows that actual integration is still far from being fully implemented. This study detailed how first-year…

A Developmental Study of Shape Integration Over Space and Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enns, James T.; Girgus, Joan S.

1986-01-01

Three experiments with observers aged 6 to 21 years of age examined the integration of shape information over successive glances. Results indicated age-related improvements in the sequential integration of shape information, both when integration occurs through successive glimpses over space and when information is separated only in time. (HOD)

The Complexity of Integrity Culture Change: A Case Study of a Liberal Arts College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertram Gallant, Tricia

2007-01-01

The concept of academic integrity has been resurrected in both literature and practice in response to a perceived problem of student academic dishonesty. Most specifically, academic integrity advocates suggest changing the student academic culture to normalize academic integrity and reduce occurrences of academic dishonesty. Theories of…

Arts Integration: An Exploration of the Dis/Connect between Policy and Live(d) Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaJevic, Lisa M.

2009-01-01

This dissertation explores the dis/connect between arts integration policy (i.e. written texts and curriculum documents) and the live(d) practice of teachers working with arts integration. Although previous studies have examined how arts integration is implemented in schools and how it affects student achievement, particularly standardized test…

An Instrumental Case Study of Effective Science Integration in a Traditional Agricultural Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Marshall A.; Bunch, J. C.; Kelsey, Kathleen D.

2015-01-01

The integration of science and agriculture has been discussed since the inception of agricultural education. However, the standards-based focus in public secondary education and changing climate of agriculture has brought science integration back to the forefront. Though research has indicated that the integration of science into agricultural…

Strengthening College Students' Integrative Leadership Orientation by Building a Foundation for Civic Engagement and Multicultural Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soria, Krista; Snyder, Seth; Reinhard, Alex P.

2015-01-01

Integrative leadership theories are thriving in the literature, yet very few studies have explored individual characteristics of integrative leadership and conditions that may promote individuals' integrative leadership orientation. In particular, little is known about the factors that may promote undergraduate college students' development of an…

Integration of HIV in the Human Genome: Which Sites Are Preferential? A Genetic and Statistical Assessment

PubMed Central

Gonçalves, Juliana; Moreira, Elsa; Sequeira, Inês J.; Rodrigues, António S.; Rueff, José; Brás, Aldina

2016-01-01

Chromosomal fragile sites (FSs) are loci where gaps and breaks may occur and are preferential integration targets for some viruses, for example, Hepatitis B, Epstein-Barr virus, HPV16, HPV18, and MLV vectors. However, the integration of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Giemsa bands and in FSs is not yet completely clear. This study aimed to assess the integration preferences of HIV in FSs and in Giemsa bands using an in silico study. HIV integration positions from Jurkat cells were used and two nonparametric tests were applied to compare HIV integration in dark versus light bands and in FS versus non-FS (NFSs). The results show that light bands are preferential targets for integration of HIV-1 in Jurkat cells and also that it integrates with equal intensity in FSs and in NFSs. The data indicates that HIV displays different preferences for FSs compared to other viruses. The aim was to develop and apply an approach to predict the conditions and constraints of HIV insertion in the human genome which seems to adequately complement empirical data. PMID:27294106

Differences between the Relationship of L1 Learners' Performance in Integrated Writing with Both Independent Listening and Independent Reading Cognitive Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheong, Choo Mui; Zhu, Xinhua; Liao, Xian

2018-01-01

In recent decades, integrated language competence has been highlighted in the language curricula taught in schools and institutions, and the relationship between test-takers' performance on integrated tasks and comprehension sources has been much studied. The current study employed the frameworks of reading and listening comprehension processes to…

Farmers' Perception of Integrated Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management for Sustainable Crop Production: A Study of Rural Areas in Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farouque, Md. Golam; Takeya, Hiroyuki

2007-01-01

This study aimed to determine farmers' perception of integrated soil fertility and nutrient management for sustainable crop production. Integrated soil fertility (ISF) and nutrient management (NM) is an advanced approach to maintain soil fertility and to enhance crop productivity. A total number of 120 farmers from eight villages in four districts…

Integrating Financial Aid and Financial Policies: Case Studies from Five States. Changing Direction: Integrating Higher Education Financial Aid and Financing Policies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Boulder, CO.

This report is a collection of five state case studies comprising a major component of the first phase of the project, "Changing Direction: Integrating Higher Education Financial Aid and Financing Policies." The project explored state-level strategies to better align financing and financial aid policies and support more informed decision…

Teacher Design in Teams as a Professional Development Arrangement for Developing Technology Integration Knowledge and Skills of Science Teachers in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafyulilo, Ayoub; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke

2016-01-01

This study investigated the impact of teacher design teams as a professional development arrangement for developing technology integration knowledge and skills among in-service science teachers. The study was conducted at a secondary school in Tanzania, where 12 in-service science teachers participated in a workshop about technology integration in…

A Three-Tier Model of Integrated Behavior and Learning Supports: Linking System-Wide Implementation to Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harms, Anna Leigh Shon

2010-01-01

This study explored elementary schools' implementation of an integrated three-tier model of reading and behavior supports as they participated with a statewide Response to Intervention (RtI) project. The purpose of the study was to examine the process of implementing an integrated three-tier model and to explore the relation between implementation…

Which Pedagogical Parameters Predict the General Quality of ICT Integration from the Perspective of Elementary School Leaders?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shamir-Inbal, Tamar; Blau, Ina

2017-01-01

Technological changes in the digital age require schools to integrate innovative technologies in learning and the curriculum. This study analyzes data collected from elementary schools toward the end of the second and the third years of the national program for the gradual integration of ICT in Israeli schools. The study examines how school…

Integrating Science and Technology: Using Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a Framework to Study the Practices of Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pringle, Rose M.; Dawson, Kara; Ritzhaupt, Albert D.

2015-01-01

In this study, we examined how teachers involved in a yearlong technology integration initiative planned to enact technological, pedagogical, and content practices in science lessons. These science teachers, engaged in an initiative to integrate educational technology in inquiry-based science lessons, provided a total of 525 lesson plans for this…

Designing Learning Strategy to Improve Undergraduate Students' Problem Solving in Derivatives and Integrals: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hashemi, Nourooz; Abu, Mohd Salleh; Kashefi, Hamidreza; Mokhtar, Mahani; Rahimi, Khadijeh

2015-01-01

Derivatives and integrals are two important concepts of calculus which are precondition topics for most of mathematics courses and other courses in different fields of studies. A majority of students at the undergraduate level have to master derivatives and integrals if they want to be successful in their studies However, students encounter…

The Story of an Arts Integration School on English-Language-Learner Development: A Qualitative Study of Collaboration, Integrity, and Confidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingraham, Nissa; Nuttall, Susanne

2016-01-01

This qualitative case study of a southwest regional elementary school used interviews, focus groups, and document collection to better understand how this arts-integrated school is meeting the needs of English-language learner (ELL) students, discerning increased test performance on state standardized tests. Data were analyzed using open coding.…

The Investigation of Pre-Service Teachers' Concerns about Integrating Web 2.0 Technologies into Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hao, Yungwei; Wang, Shiou-ling; Chang, Su-jen; Hsu, Yin-hung; Tang, Ren-yen

2013-01-01

Studies indicated Web 2.0 technologies can support learning. Then, integration of innovation may create concerns among teachers because of the innovative features. In this study, the innovation refers to Web 2.0 technology integration into instruction. To help pre-service teachers make the best use of the innovation in their future instruction, it…

The Relation of Ego Integrity and Despair to Personality Traits and Mental Health.

PubMed

Westerhof, Gerben J; Bohlmeijer, Ernst T; McAdams, Dan P

2017-05-01

Existing studies in the Eriksonian tradition found that ego integrity and despair are important indicators of life-span development. The present study relates ego integrity and despair to contemporary theories of personality and mental health. A cross-sectional study of Dutch adults aged between 50 and 95 years (N = 218) was carried out, using the Northwestern Ego Integrity Scale, the subscales for neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience of the NEO-FFI, the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale-Short Form. Extraversion and openness to experience have an indirect relation to ego integrity that is mediated by well-being. Neuroticism was related to despair and explained the relationship of depressive symptoms to despair. Chronological age did not moderate these findings. Ego integrity appears to be related to fluctuating states of mental health, whereas despair is more an expression of a general trait-like disposition of neuroticism. Implications for further research are discussed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Integrative Therapeutic Approaches for the Management and Control of Nausea in Children Undergoing Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review of Literature.

PubMed

Momani, Tha'er G; Berry, Donna L

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) continues to be a common symptom experienced by children undergoing cancer treatment despite the use of contemporary antiemetics. Integrative therapeutic approaches in addition to standard pharmacologic antiemetic regimes offer potential to control CINV. The purpose of this review was to identify current evidence on integrative therapeutic approaches for the control of CINV in children with cancer. Online search engines (PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO) were queried using MESH terms. Titles, abstracts, and then full-text articles were reviewed for relevance to the review. The search resulted in 53 studies. Twenty-one studies met our review criteria. Integrative therapies identified included acupuncture/acupressure, aromatherapy, herbal supplements, hypnosis, and other cognitive behavioral interventions. Our review identified little information on the effectiveness and safety of most integrative therapeutic approaches for the control and management of CINV in children with cancer. However, evidence from adult cancer studies and some pediatric studies identify promising interventions for further testing.

Integration of air traffic databases : a case study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-03-01

This report describes a case study to show the benefits from maximum utilization of existing air traffic databases. The study demonstrates the utility of integrating available data through developing and demonstrating a methodology addressing the iss...

Treatment integrity of school-based interventions with children in the journal of applied behavior analysis 1991-2005.

PubMed

McIntyre, Laura Lee; Gresham, Frank M; DiGennaro, Florence D; Reed, Derek D

2007-01-01

We reviewed all school-based experimental studies with individuals 0 to 18 years published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) between 1991 and 2005. A total of 142 articles (152 studies) that met review criteria were included. Nearly all (95%) of these experiments provided an operational definition of the independent variable, but only 30% of the studies provided treatment integrity data. Nearly half of studies (45%) were judged to be at high risk for treatment inaccuracies. Treatment integrity data were more likely to be included in studies that used teachers, multiple treatment agents, or both. Although there was a substantial increase in reporting operational definitions of independent variables, results suggest that there was only a modest improvement in reported integrity over the past 30 years of JABA studies. Recommendations for research and practice are discussed.

Interventions and approaches to integrating HIV and mental health services: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Chuah, Fiona Leh Hoon; Haldane, Victoria Elizabeth; Cervero-Liceras, Francisco; Ong, Suan Ee; Sigfrid, Louise A; Murphy, Georgina; Watt, Nicola; Balabanova, Dina; Hogarth, Sue; Maimaris, Will; Otero, Laura; Buse, Kent; McKee, Martin; Piot, Peter; Perel, Pablo; Legido-Quigley, Helena

2017-01-01

Abstract Background The frequency in which HIV and AIDS and mental health problems co-exist, and the complex bi-directional relationship between them, highlights the need for effective care models combining services for HIV and mental health. Here, we present a systematic review that synthesizes the literature on interventions and approaches integrating these services. Methods This review was part of a larger systematic review on integration of services for HIV and non-communicable diseases. Eligible studies included those that described or evaluated an intervention or approach aimed at integrating HIV and mental health care. We searched multiple databases from inception until October 2015, independently screened articles identified for inclusion, conducted data extraction, and assessed evaluative papers for risk of bias. Results Forty-five articles were eligible for this review. We identified three models of integration at the meso and micro levels: single-facility integration, multi-facility integration, and integrated care coordinated by a non-physician case manager. Single-site integration enhances multidisciplinary coordination and reduces access barriers for patients. However, the practicality and cost-effectiveness of providing a full continuum of specialized care on-site for patients with complex needs is arguable. Integration based on a collaborative network of specialized agencies may serve those with multiple co-morbidities but fragmented and poorly coordinated care can pose barriers. Integrated care coordinated by a single case manager can enable continuity of care for patients but requires appropriate training and support for case managers. Involving patients as key actors in facilitating integration within their own treatment plan is a promising approach. Conclusion This review identified much diversity in integration models combining HIV and mental health services, which are shown to have potential in yielding positive patient and service delivery outcomes when implemented within appropriate contexts. Our review revealed a lack of research in low- and middle- income countries, and was limited to most studies being descriptive. Overall, studies that seek to evaluate and compare integration models in terms of long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness are needed, particularly at the health system level and in regions with high HIV and AIDS burden. PMID:29106512

Theory, modeling, and integrated studies in the Arase (ERG) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seki, Kanako; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi; Ebihara, Yusuke; Katoh, Yuto; Amano, Takanobu; Saito, Shinji; Shoji, Masafumi; Nakamizo, Aoi; Keika, Kunihiro; Hori, Tomoaki; Nakano, Shin'ya; Watanabe, Shigeto; Kamiya, Kei; Takahashi, Naoko; Omura, Yoshiharu; Nose, Masahito; Fok, Mei-Ching; Tanaka, Takashi; Ieda, Akimasa; Yoshikawa, Akimasa

2018-02-01

Understanding of underlying mechanisms of drastic variations of the near-Earth space (geospace) is one of the current focuses of the magnetospheric physics. The science target of the geospace research project Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) is to understand the geospace variations with a focus on the relativistic electron acceleration and loss processes. In order to achieve the goal, the ERG project consists of the three parts: the Arase (ERG) satellite, ground-based observations, and theory/modeling/integrated studies. The role of theory/modeling/integrated studies part is to promote relevant theoretical and simulation studies as well as integrated data analysis to combine different kinds of observations and modeling. Here we provide technical reports on simulation and empirical models related to the ERG project together with their roles in the integrated studies of dynamic geospace variations. The simulation and empirical models covered include the radial diffusion model of the radiation belt electrons, GEMSIS-RB and RBW models, CIMI model with global MHD simulation REPPU, GEMSIS-RC model, plasmasphere thermosphere model, self-consistent wave-particle interaction simulations (electron hybrid code and ion hybrid code), the ionospheric electric potential (GEMSIS-POT) model, and SuperDARN electric field models with data assimilation. ERG (Arase) science center tools to support integrated studies with various kinds of data are also briefly introduced.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Psychotherapy integration under scrutiny: investigating the impact of integrating emotion-focused components into a CBT-based approach: a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Babl, Anna; Grosse Holtforth, Martin; Heer, Sara; Lin, Mu; Stähli, Annabarbara; Holstein, Dominique; Belz, Martina; Egenolf, Yvonne; Frischknecht, Eveline; Ramseyer, Fabian; Regli, Daniel; Schmied, Emma; Flückiger, Christoph; Brodbeck, Jeannette; Berger, Thomas; Caspar, Franz

2016-11-24

This currently recruiting randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of integrating components of Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) into Psychological Therapy (PT), an integrative form of cognitive-behavioral therapy in a manner that is directly mirroring common integrative practice in the sense of assimilative integration. Aims of the study are to understand how both, an existing therapy approach as well as the elements to be integrated, are affected by the integration and to clarify the role of emotional processing as a mediator of therapy outcome. A total of 130 adults with a diagnosed unipolar depressive, anxiety or adjustment disorder (seeking treatment at a psychotherapy outpatient clinic) are randomized to either treatment as usual (PT) with integrated emotion-focused components (TAU + EFT) or PT (TAU). Primary outcome variables are psychopathology and symptom severity at the end of therapy and at follow up; secondary outcome variables are interpersonal problems, psychological wellbeing, quality of life, attainment of individual therapy goals, and emotional competency. Furthermore, process variables such as the quality of the therapeutic relationship are studied as well as aptitude-treatment interactions. Variables are assessed at baseline, after 8 and 16 sessions, at the end of therapy, after 25 ± 3 sessions, and at 6, 12 and 36 month follow-up. Underlying mechanisms of change are investigated. Statistical analyses will be conducted using the appropriate multilevel approaches, mainly two-level regression and growth analysis. The results of this study will indicate whether the integration of emotion-focused elements into treatment as usual increases the effectiveness of Psychological Therapy. If advantages are found, which may be limited to particular variables or subgroups of patients, recommendations for a systematic integration, and caveats if also disadvantages are detected, can be formulated. On a more abstract level, a cognitive behavioral (represented by PT) and humanistic/experiential (represented by EFT) approach will be integrated. It must be emphasized that mimicking common practice in the development and continued education of psychotherapists, EFT is not integrated as a whole, but only elements of EFT that are considered particularly important, and can be trained in an 8-day training plus supervision of therapies. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02822443 , 22 June 2016, retrospectively registered.

A Feature-Reinforcement-Based Approach for Supporting Poly-Lingual Category Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Chih-Ping; Chen, Chao-Chi; Cheng, Tsang-Hsiang; Yang, Christopher C.

Document-category integration (or category integration for short) is fundamental to many e-commerce applications, including information integration along supply chains and information aggregation by intermediaries. Because of the trend of globalization, the requirement for category integration has been extended from monolingual to poly-lingual settings. Poly-lingual category integration (PLCI) aims to integrate two document catalogs, each of which consists of documents written in a mix of languages. Several category integration techniques have been proposed in the literature, but these techniques focus only on monolingual category integration rather than PLCI. In this study, we propose a feature-reinforcement-based PLCI (namely, FR-PLCI) technique that takes into account the master documents of all languages when integrating source documents (in the source catalog) written in a specific language into the master catalog. Using the monolingual category integration (MnCI) technique as a performance benchmark, our empirical evaluation results show that our proposed FR-PLCI technique achieves better integration accuracy than MnCI does in both English and Chinese category integration tasks.

Measuring fragmentation in dissociative identity disorder: the integration measure and relationship to switching and time in therapy.

PubMed

Barlow, M Rose; Chu, James A

2014-01-01

Some people with dissociative identity disorder (DID) have very little communication or awareness among the parts of their identity, while others experience a great deal of cooperation among alternate identities. Previous research on this topic has been sparse. Currently, there is no empirical measure of integration versus fragmentation in a person with DID. In this study, we report the development of such a measure. The goal of this study was to pilot the integration measure (IM) and to address its psychometric properties and relationships to other measures. The IM is the first standardized measure of integration in DID. Eleven women with DID participated in an experiment that included a variety of tasks. They filled out questionnaires about trauma and dissociation as well as the IM. They also provided verbal results about switching among alternate identities during the study sessions. Participants switched among identities an average of 5.8 times during the first session, and switching was highly correlated with trauma. Integration was related to switching, though this relationship may be non-linear. Integration was not related to time in psychotherapy. The IM provides a useful beginning to quantify and study integration and fragmentation in DID. Directions for future research are also discussed, including expanding the IM from this pilot. The IM may be useful in treatment settings to assess progress or change over time.

Exploring the Link between Visual Perception, Visual-Motor Integration, and Reading in Normal Developing and Impaired Children using DTVP-2.

PubMed

Bellocchi, Stéphanie; Muneaux, Mathilde; Huau, Andréa; Lévêque, Yohana; Jover, Marianne; Ducrot, Stéphanie

2017-08-01

Reading is known to be primarily a linguistic task. However, to successfully decode written words, children also need to develop good visual-perception skills. Furthermore, motor skills are implicated in letter recognition and reading acquisition. Three studies have been designed to determine the link between reading, visual perception, and visual-motor integration using the Developmental Test of Visual Perception version 2 (DTVP-2). Study 1 tests how visual perception and visual-motor integration in kindergarten predict reading outcomes in Grade 1, in typical developing children. Study 2 is aimed at finding out if these skills can be seen as clinical markers in dyslexic children (DD). Study 3 determines if visual-motor integration and motor-reduced visual perception can distinguish DD children according to whether they exhibit or not developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Results showed that phonological awareness and visual-motor integration predicted reading outcomes one year later. DTVP-2 demonstrated similarities and differences in visual-motor integration and motor-reduced visual perception between children with DD, DCD, and both of these deficits. DTVP-2 is a suitable tool to investigate links between visual perception, visual-motor integration and reading, and to differentiate cognitive profiles of children with developmental disabilities (i.e. DD, DCD, and comorbid children). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Application of integral equation theory to analyze stability of electric field in multimode microwave heating cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Zhengming; Hong, Tao; Chen, Fangyuan; Zhu, Huacheng; Huang, Kama

2017-10-01

Microwave heating uniformity is mainly dependent on and affected by electric field. However, little study has paid attention to its stability characteristics in multimode cavity. In this paper, this problem is studied by the theory of Freedholm integral equation. Firstly, Helmholtz equation and the electric dyadic Green's function are used to derive the electric field integral equation. Then, the stability of electric field is demonstrated as the characteristics of solutions to Freedholm integral equation. Finally, the stability characteristics are obtained and verified by finite element calculation. This study not only can provide a comprehensive interpretation of electric field in multimode cavity but also help us make better use of microwave energy.

The MIST /MIUS Integration and Subsystems Test/ laboratory - A testbed for the MIUS /Modular Integrated Utility System/ program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beckham, W. S., Jr.; Keune, F. A.

1974-01-01

The MIUS (Modular Integrated Utility System) concept is to be an energy-conserving, economically feasible, integrated community utility system to provide five necessary services: electricity generation, space heating and air conditioning, solid waste processing, liquid waste processing, and residential water purification. The MIST (MIUS Integration and Subsystem Test) integrated system testbed constructed at the Johnson Space Center in Houston includes subsystems for power generation, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), wastewater management, solid waste management, and control and monitoring. The key design issues under study include thermal integration and distribution techniques, thermal storage, integration of subsystems controls and displays, incinerator performance, effluent characteristics, and odor control.

Line integral on engineering mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiryanto, L. H.

2018-01-01

Definite integral is a basic material in studying mathematics. At the level of calculus, calculating of definite integral is based on fundamental theorem of calculus, related to anti-derivative, as the inverse operation of derivative. At the higher level such as engineering mathematics, the definite integral is used as one of the calculating tools of line integral. the purpose of this is to identify if there is a question related to line integral, we can use definite integral as one of the calculating experience. The conclusion of this research says that the teaching experience in introducing the relation between both integrals through the engineer way of thinking can motivate and improve students in understanding the material.

The integration of occupational therapy into primary care: a multiple case study design

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background For over two decades occupational therapists have been encouraged to enhance their roles within primary care and focus on health promotion and prevention activities. While there is a clear fit between occupational therapy and primary care, there have been few practice examples, despite a growing body of evidence to support the role. In 2010, the province of Ontario, Canada provided funding to include occupational therapists as members of Family Health Teams, an interprofessional model of primary care. The integration of occupational therapists into this model of primary care is one of the first large scale initiatives of its kind in North America. The objective of the study was to examine how occupational therapy services are being integrated into primary care teams and understand the structures supporting the integration. Methods A multiple case study design was used to provide an in-depth description of the integration of occupational therapy. Four Family Health Teams with occupational therapists as part of the team were identified. Data collection included in-depth interviews, document analyses, and questionnaires. Results Each Family Health Team had a unique organizational structure that contributed to the integration of occupational therapy. Communication, trust and understanding of occupational therapy were key elements in the integration of occupational therapy into Family Health Teams, and were supported by a number of strategies including co-location, electronic medical records and team meetings. An understanding of occupational therapy was critical for integration into the team and physicians were less likely to understand the occupational therapy role than other health providers. Conclusion With an increased emphasis on interprofessional primary care, new professions will be integrated into primary healthcare teams. The study found that explicit strategies and structures are required to facilitate the integration of a new professional group. An understanding of professional roles, trust and communication are foundations for interprofessional collaborative practice. PMID:23679667

SOCIAL ROLE VALORIZATION IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH HOUSING: DOES IT CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND LIFE SATISFACTION OF PEOPLE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES?

PubMed Central

Aubry, Tim; Flynn, Robert J; Virley, Barb; Neri, Jaclynne

2013-01-01

Despite its importance as a theory in the development of programs for populations with disabilities, social role valorization (SRV) has received relatively little attention in community mental health research. We present findings of a study that examined the relationship of housing-related SRV to community integration and global life satisfaction of persons with psychiatric disabilities. The housing environments and associated supports of a group of 73 persons with psychiatric disabilities living in a mid-sized city were assessed using the PASSING rating system on the extent that their housing environments facilitated SRV. In addition, in-person interviews were conducted to determine the levels of physical integration, psychological integration, social integration, and life satisfaction of study participants. Results showed SRV contributing directly to all three types of community integration. Psychological integration was found to mediate the relationship between SRV and life satisfaction. Implications of the findings are discussed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:23658470

Achieving Integration in Mixed Methods Designs—Principles and Practices

PubMed Central

Fetters, Michael D; Curry, Leslie A; Creswell, John W

2013-01-01

Mixed methods research offers powerful tools for investigating complex processes and systems in health and health care. This article describes integration principles and practices at three levels in mixed methods research and provides illustrative examples. Integration at the study design level occurs through three basic mixed method designs—exploratory sequential, explanatory sequential, and convergent—and through four advanced frameworks—multistage, intervention, case study, and participatory. Integration at the methods level occurs through four approaches. In connecting, one database links to the other through sampling. With building, one database informs the data collection approach of the other. When merging, the two databases are brought together for analysis. With embedding, data collection and analysis link at multiple points. Integration at the interpretation and reporting level occurs through narrative, data transformation, and joint display. The fit of integration describes the extent the qualitative and quantitative findings cohere. Understanding these principles and practices of integration can help health services researchers leverage the strengths of mixed methods. PMID:24279835

Integration and the performance of healthcare networks:do integration strategies enhance efficiency, profitability, and image?

PubMed Central

Wan, Thomas T.H.; Ma, Allen; Y.J.Lin, Blossom

2001-01-01

Abstract Purpose This study examines the integration effects on efficiency and financial viability of the top 100 integrated healthcare networks (IHNs) in the United States. Theory A contingency- strategic theory is used to identify the relationship of IHNs' performance to their structural and operational characteristics and integration strategies. Methods The lists of the top 100 IHNs ranked in two years, 1998 and 1999, by the SMG Marketing Group were merged to create a database for the study. Multiple indicators were used to examine the relationship between IHNs' characteristics and their performance in efficiency and financial viability. A path analytical model was developed and validated by the Mplus statistical program. Factors influencing the top 100 IHNs' images, represented by attaining ranking among the top 100 in two consecutive years, were analysed. Results and conclusion No positive associations were found between integration and network performance in efficiency or profits. Longitudinal data are needed to investigate the effect of integration on healthcare networks' financial performance. PMID:16896405

A Physician's Perspective On Vertical Integration.

PubMed

Berenson, Robert A

2017-09-01

Vertical integration has been a central feature of health care delivery system change for more than two decades. Recent studies have demonstrated that vertically integrated health care systems raise prices and costs without observable improvements in quality, despite many theoretical reasons why cost control and improved quality might occur. Less well studied is how physicians view their newfound partnerships with hospitals. In this article I review literature findings and other observations on five aspects of vertical integration that affect physicians in their professional and personal lives: patients' access to physicians, physician compensation, autonomy versus system support, medical professionalism and culture, and lifestyle. I conclude that the movement toward physicians' alignment with and employment in vertically integrated systems seems inexorable but that policy should not promote such integration either intentionally or inadvertently. Instead, policy should address the flaws in current payment approaches that reward high prices and excessive service use-outcomes that vertical integration currently produces. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Achieving integration in mixed methods designs-principles and practices.

PubMed

Fetters, Michael D; Curry, Leslie A; Creswell, John W

2013-12-01

Mixed methods research offers powerful tools for investigating complex processes and systems in health and health care. This article describes integration principles and practices at three levels in mixed methods research and provides illustrative examples. Integration at the study design level occurs through three basic mixed method designs-exploratory sequential, explanatory sequential, and convergent-and through four advanced frameworks-multistage, intervention, case study, and participatory. Integration at the methods level occurs through four approaches. In connecting, one database links to the other through sampling. With building, one database informs the data collection approach of the other. When merging, the two databases are brought together for analysis. With embedding, data collection and analysis link at multiple points. Integration at the interpretation and reporting level occurs through narrative, data transformation, and joint display. The fit of integration describes the extent the qualitative and quantitative findings cohere. Understanding these principles and practices of integration can help health services researchers leverage the strengths of mixed methods. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Dimensions of integration, continuity and longitudinality in clinical clerkships.

PubMed

Ellaway, Rachel H; Graves, Lisa; Cummings, Beth-Ann

2016-09-01

Over the past few decades, longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs) have been proposed to address many perceived short-coming of traditional block clerkships. This growing interest in LICs has raised broader questions regarding the role of integration, continuity and longitudinality in medical education. A study with complementary theoretical and empirical dimensions was conducted to derive a more precise way of defining these three underlying concepts within the design of medical education curricula. The theoretical dimension involved a thematic review of the literature on integration, continuity and longitudinality in medical education. The empirical dimension surveyed all 17 Canadian medical schools on how they have operationalised integration, continuity and longitudinality in their undergraduate programmes. The two dimensions were iteratively synthesised to explore the meaning and expression of integration, continuity and longitudinality in medical education curriculum design. Integration, continuity and longitudinality were expressed in many ways and forms, including: integration of clinical disciplines, combined horizontal integration and vertical integration, and programme-level integration. Types of continuity included: continuity of patients, continuity of teaching, continuity of location and peer continuity. Longitudinality focused on connected or repeating episodes of training or on connecting activities, such as encounter logging across educational episodes. Twelve of the 17 schools were running an LIC of some kind, although only one school had a mandatory LIC experience. An ordinal scale of uses of integration, continuity and longitudinality during clerkships was developed, and new definitions of these concepts in the clerkship context were generated. Different clerkship designs embodied different forms and levels of integration, continuity and longitudinality. A dichotomous view of LICs and rotation-based clerkships was found not to represent current practices in Canada, which instead tended to fall along a continuum of integration, continuity and longitudinality. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Value-based integrated (renal) care: setting a development agenda for research and implementation strategies.

PubMed

Valentijn, Pim P; Biermann, Claus; Bruijnzeels, Marc A

2016-08-02

Integrated care services are considered a vital strategy for improving the Triple Aim values for people with chronic kidney disease. However, a solid scholarly explanation of how to develop, implement and evaluate such value-based integrated renal care services is limited. The aim of this study was to develop a framework to identify the strategies and outcomes for the implementation of value-based integrated renal care. First, the theoretical foundations of the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care and the Triple Aim were united into one overarching framework through an iterative process of key-informant consultations. Second, a rapid review approach was conducted to identify the published research on integrated renal care, and the Cochrane Library, Medline, Scopus, and Business Source Premier databases were searched for pertinent articles published between 2000 and 2015. Based on the framework, a coding schema was developed to synthesis the included articles. The overarching framework distinguishes the integrated care domains: 1) type of integration, 2) enablers of integration and the interrelated outcome domains, 3) experience of care, 4) population health and 5) costs. The literature synthesis indicated that integrated renal care implementation strategies have particularly focused on micro clinical processes and physical outcomes, while little emphasis has been placed on meso organisational as well as macro system integration processes. In addition, evidence regarding patients' perceived outcomes and economic outcomes has been weak. These results underscore that the future challenge for researchers is to explore which integrated care implementation strategies achieve better health and improved experience of care at a lower cost within a specific context. For this purpose, this study's framework and evidence synthesis have set a developmental agenda for both integrated renal care practice and research. Accordingly, we plan further work to develop an implementation model for value-based integrated renal services.

From PCK to TPACK: Developing a Transformative Model for Pre-Service Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Syh-Jong; Chen, Kuan-Chung

2010-12-01

New science teachers should be equipped with the ability to integrate and design the curriculum and technology for innovative teaching. How to integrate technology into pre-service science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge is the important issue. This study examined the impact on a transformative model of integrating technology and peer coaching for developing technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) of pre-service science teachers. A transformative model and an online system were designed to restructure science teacher education courses. Participants of this study included an instructor and 12 pre-service teachers. The main sources of data included written assignments, online data, reflective journals, videotapes and interviews. This study expanded four views, namely, the comprehensive, imitative, transformative and integrative views to explore the impact of TPACK. The model could help pre-service teachers develop technological pedagogical methods and strategies of integrating subject-matter knowledge into science lessons, and further enhanced their TPACK.

Integrating Internships with Professional Study in Pharmacy Education in Finland

PubMed Central

Löfhjelm, Ulla; Passi, Sanna; Airaksinen, Marja

2014-01-01

Pharmacy internships are an important part of undergraduate pharmacy education worldwide. Internships in Finland are integrated into professional study during the second and third year, which has several pedagogic advantages, such as better understanding of the association between academic studies and pharmaceutical work-life during the studies, and enhanced self-reflection through the feedback from preceptors and peers during the internships. The objective of this paper is to describe the Finnish integrated internship using the pharmacy curriculum at the University of Helsinki as an example. PMID:26056411

Integrating Weather in TMC Operations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-06-30

This report presents the results of a study of the integration of weather information into Transportation Management Centers (TMCs). Based on an earlier report that examined the nature and extent of weather integration experience across the country a...

Transmission Integration | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

high penetrations of renewable energy sources operate. NREL researchers are identifying these effects and Wind Integration Studies Studying the effects of high penetrations of renewables on Hawaiian

High Renewable Generation | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

and water use. Featured Studies Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Renewable Electricity Futures Study North American Renewable Integration Study Data and Tools Find out more about NREL's Grid are documented in Transparent Cost Database/Open Energy Information. Publications SunShot Vision Study

Process-Based Cost Modeling of Photonics Manufacture: The Cost Competitiveness of Monolithic Integration of a 1550-nm DFB Laser and an Electroabsorptive Modulator on an InP Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Erica R. H.; Bruce, E. J.; Ram, R. J.; Kirchain, Randolph E.

2006-08-01

The monolithic integration of components holds promise to increase network functionality and reduce packaging expense. Integration also drives down yield due to manufacturing complexity and the compounding of failures across devices. Consensus is lacking on the economically preferred extent of integration. Previous studies on the cost feasibility of integration have used high-level estimation methods. This study instead focuses on accurate-to-industry detail, basing a process-based cost model of device manufacture on data collected from 20 firms across the optoelectronics supply chain. The model presented allows for the definition of process organization, including testing, as well as processing conditions, operational characteristics, and level of automation at each step. This study focuses on the cost implications of integration of a 1550-nm DFB laser with an electroabsorptive modulator on an InP platform. Results show the monolithically integrated design to be more cost competitive over discrete component options regardless of production scale. Dominant cost drivers are packaging, testing, and assembly. Leveraging the technical detail underlying model projections, component alignment, bonding, and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) are identified as processes where technical improvements are most critical to lowering costs. Such results should encourage exploration of the cost advantages of further integration and focus cost-driven technology development.

Integrated optics technology study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, B.; Findakly, T.; Innarella, R.

1982-01-01

The status and near term potential of materials and processes available for the fabrication of single mode integrated electro-optical components are discussed. Issues discussed are host material and orientation, waveguide formation, optical loss mechanisms, wavelength selection, polarization effects and control, laser to integrated optics coupling fiber optic waveguides to integrated optics coupling, sources, and detectors. Recommendations of the best materials, technology, and processes for fabrication of integrated optical components for communications and fiber gyro applications are given.

Statistical Methods in Integrative Genomics

PubMed Central

Richardson, Sylvia; Tseng, George C.; Sun, Wei

2016-01-01

Statistical methods in integrative genomics aim to answer important biology questions by jointly analyzing multiple types of genomic data (vertical integration) or aggregating the same type of data across multiple studies (horizontal integration). In this article, we introduce different types of genomic data and data resources, and then review statistical methods of integrative genomics, with emphasis on the motivation and rationale of these methods. We conclude with some summary points and future research directions. PMID:27482531

Evaluating landscape health: Integrating societal goals and biophysical process

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rapport, D.J.; Gaudet, C.; Karr, J.R.; Baron, Jill S.; Bohlen, C.; Jackson, W.; Jones, Bruce; Naiman, R.J.; Norton, B.; Pollock, M. M.

1998-01-01

Evaluating landscape change requires the integration of the social and natural sciences. The social sciences contribute to articulating societal values that govern landscape change, while the natural sciences contribute to understanding the biophysical processes that are influenced by human activity and result in ecological change. Building upon Aldo Leopold's criteria for landscape health, the roles of societal values and biophysical processes in shaping the landscape are explored. A framework is developed for indicators of landscape health and integrity. Indicators of integrity are useful in measuring biological condition relative to the condition in landscapes largely unaffected by human activity, while indicators of health are useful in evaluating changes in highly modified landscapes. Integrating societal goals and biophysical processes requires identification of ecological services to be sustained within a given landscape. It also requires the proper choice of temporal and spatial scales. Societal values are based upon inter-generational concerns at regional scales (e.g. soil and ground water quality). Assessing the health and integrity of the environment at the landscape scale over a period of decades best integrates societal values with underlying biophysical processes. These principles are illustrated in two contrasting case studies: (1) the South Platte River study demonstrates the role of complex biophysical processes acting at a distance; and (2) the Kissimmee River study illustrates the critical importance of social, cultural and economic concerns in the design of remedial action plans. In both studies, however, interactions between the social and the biophysical governed the landscape outcomes. The legacy of evolution and the legacy of culture requires integration for the purpose of effectively coping with environmental change.

An equivalent domain integral method in the two-dimensional analysis of mixed mode crack problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raju, I. S.; Shivakumar, K. N.

1990-01-01

An equivalent domain integral (EDI) method for calculating J-integrals for two-dimensional cracked elastic bodies is presented. The details of the method and its implementation are presented for isoparametric elements. The EDI method gave accurate values of the J-integrals for two mode I and two mixed mode problems. Numerical studies showed that domains consisting of one layer of elements are sufficient to obtain accurate J-integral values. Two procedures for separating the individual modes from the domain integrals are presented.

78 FR 737 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-04

... Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience Integrated Review Group; Aging Systems and Geriatrics Study Section... Skin Sciences Integrated Review Group; Skeletal Muscle and Exercise Physiology Study Section. Date...

Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Regional Study: Gujarat

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, Jaquelin M; Palchak, Joseph D; Ehlen, Annaliese K

This chapter on Andhra Pradesh is one of six state chapters included in Appendix C of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study). The objective of the state chapters is to provide modeling assumptions, results, and next steps to use and improve the model specific to each state. The model has inherent uncertainties, particularly in how the intrastate transmission network and RE generation projects will develop (e.g., locations, capacities). The model also does not include information on contracts or must-run status of particular plantsmore » for reliability purposes. By providing details on the higher spatial resolution model of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study), which better represents the impact of congestion on least-cost scheduling and dispatch, provides a deeper understanding of the relationship among renewable energy (RE) location, transmission, and system flexibility with regard to RE integration, compared to 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study.'« less

Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Regional Study: Tamil Nadu

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, Jaquelin M; Palchak, Joseph D; Ehlen, Annaliese K

This chapter on Tamil Nadu is one of six state chapters included in Appendix C of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study). The objective of the state chapters is to provide modeling assumptions, results, and next steps to use and improve the model specific to each state. The model has inherent uncertainties, particularly in how the intrastate transmission network and RE generation projects will develop (e.g., locations, capacities). The model also does not include information on contracts or must-run status of particular plantsmore » for reliability purposes. By providing details on the higher spatial resolution model of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study), which better represents the impact of congestion on least-cost scheduling and dispatch, provides a deeper understanding of the relationship among renewable energy (RE) location, transmission, and system flexibility with regard to RE integration, compared to 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study.'« less

Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Regional Study: Rajasthan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, Jaquelin M; Palchak, Joseph D; Ehlen, Annaliese K

This chapter on Andhra Pradesh is one of six state chapters included in Appendix C of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study). The objective of the state chapters is to provide modeling assumptions, results, and next steps to use and improve the model specific to each state. The model has inherent uncertainties, particularly in how the intrastate transmission network and RE generation projects will develop (e.g., locations, capacities). The model also does not include information on contracts or must-run status of particular plantsmore » for reliability purposes. By providing details on the higher spatial resolution model of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study), which better represents the impact of congestion on least-cost scheduling and dispatch, provides a deeper understanding of the relationship among renewable energy (RE) location, transmission, and system flexibility with regard to RE integration, compared to 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study.'« less

Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Regional Study: Andhra Pradesh

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, Jaquelin M; Palchak, Joseph D; Ehlen, Annaliese K

This chapter on Andhra Pradesh is one of six state chapters included in Appendix C of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study). The objective of the state chapters is to provide modeling assumptions, results, and next steps to use and improve the model specific to each state. The model has inherent uncertainties, particularly in how the intrastate transmission network and RE generation projects will develop (e.g., locations, capacities). The model also does not include information on contracts or must-run status of particular plantsmore » for reliability purposes. By providing details on the higher spatial resolution model of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study), which better represents the impact of congestion on least-cost scheduling and dispatch, provides a deeper understanding of the relationship among renewable energy (RE) location, transmission, and system flexibility with regard to RE integration, compared to 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study.'« less

Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Regional Study: Karnataka

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, Jaquelin M; Palchak, Joseph D; Ehlen, Annaliese K

This chapter on Andhra Pradesh is one of six state chapters included in Appendix C of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study). The objective of the state chapters is to provide modeling assumptions, results, and next steps to use and improve the model specific to each state. The model has inherent uncertainties, particularly in how the intrastate transmission network and RE generation projects will develop (e.g., locations, capacities). The model also does not include information on contracts or must-run status of particular plantsmore » for reliability purposes. By providing details on the higher spatial resolution model of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study), which better represents the impact of congestion on least-cost scheduling and dispatch, provides a deeper understanding of the relationship among renewable energy (RE) location, transmission, and system flexibility with regard to RE integration, compared to 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study.'« less

Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Regional Study: Maharashtra

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, Jaquelin M; Palchak, Joseph D; Ehlen, Annaliese K

This chapter on Andhra Pradesh is one of six state chapters included in Appendix C of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study). The objective of the state chapters is to provide modeling assumptions, results, and next steps to use and improve the model specific to each state. The model has inherent uncertainties, particularly in how the intrastate transmission network and RE generation projects will develop (e.g., locations, capacities). The model also does not include information on contracts or must-run status of particular plantsmore » for reliability purposes. By providing details on the higher spatial resolution model of 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. II - Regional Study' (the Regional Study), which better represents the impact of congestion on least-cost scheduling and dispatch, provides a deeper understanding of the relationship among renewable energy (RE) location, transmission, and system flexibility with regard to RE integration, compared to 'Greening the Grid: Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid, Vol. I - National Study.'« less

Integrative genetic risk prediction using non-parametric empirical Bayes classification.

PubMed

Zhao, Sihai Dave

2017-06-01

Genetic risk prediction is an important component of individualized medicine, but prediction accuracies remain low for many complex diseases. A fundamental limitation is the sample sizes of the studies on which the prediction algorithms are trained. One way to increase the effective sample size is to integrate information from previously existing studies. However, it can be difficult to find existing data that examine the target disease of interest, especially if that disease is rare or poorly studied. Furthermore, individual-level genotype data from these auxiliary studies are typically difficult to obtain. This article proposes a new approach to integrative genetic risk prediction of complex diseases with binary phenotypes. It accommodates possible heterogeneity in the genetic etiologies of the target and auxiliary diseases using a tuning parameter-free non-parametric empirical Bayes procedure, and can be trained using only auxiliary summary statistics. Simulation studies show that the proposed method can provide superior predictive accuracy relative to non-integrative as well as integrative classifiers. The method is applied to a recent study of pediatric autoimmune diseases, where it substantially reduces prediction error for certain target/auxiliary disease combinations. The proposed method is implemented in the R package ssa. © 2016, The International Biometric Society.

Fitting It All In: How Sea Stars Taught Me To Integrate the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonough, Nancy H.

2003-01-01

Explains an integrated curriculum in which science content is at the core of teaching. Contends that study in an integrated curriculum invites students to build their world knowledge by offering them the time and continuous focus to know a subject well. Details an integrated unit called "Oceans" which included: observation; whole group…

Vocational + Academic Integration: Preparing Texas Students for the Work Force. Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Council on Vocational Education, Austin.

In a study of integration of vocational and academic education in Texas, administrators of a stratified random sample of 112 school districts in the state were surveyed, and 65% responded. Steps toward integration were being taken in 84% of the districts; however, only four districts have implemented integration plans described as comprehensive.…

Off-Balance: The Integration of Physical Education Content Learning and Irish Language Learning in English-Medium Primary Schools in Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ní Chróinín, Déirdre; Ní Mhurchú, Siobhán; Ó Ceallaigh, T. J.

2016-01-01

Increased attention to integrated approaches has resulted from demands to prioritise literacy learning while maintaining a balanced curriculum in primary schools. Limited empirical evidence to support integrated approaches to teaching physical education (PE) exists. This study explored the integration of PE content learning and the learning of…

It's on Us: A Case Study of Academic Integrity in A Mid-Western Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parnther, Ceceilia

2016-01-01

Academic ethics and integrity are necessary elements of a quality education. The need for academic integrity education on campuses has been well documented (Bertram Gallant, 2008, 2016; Bertram Gallant & Drinan, 2006; Liebler, 2009; McCabe, Butterfield, & Trevino, 2004). Academic integrity is a cornerstone of the learning process (Bretag…

Approximations First: A Closer Look at Applications of the Definite Integral

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandt, Keith

2017-01-01

I propose that students pay more attention to the approximations that lead to integral formulas when they study applications of the definite integral. The goal is to focus students on the underlying concepts and the definition of the definite integral--and to steer them away from memorizing formulas. To address this goal, I have written some…

Preparing Social Work Students for Integrated Health Care: Results from a National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Held, Mary Lehman; Mallory, Kim Crane; Cummings, Sherry

2017-01-01

Integrated health care serves a vital role in addressing interrelated physical and behavioral health conditions, but social work graduates often lack sufficient training to work on integrated teams. We surveyed 94 deans of master's of social work programs to assess the current and planned integrated health care curricula and the aptitude of…

Reviewing the methodology of an integrative review.

PubMed

Hopia, Hanna; Latvala, Eila; Liimatainen, Leena

2016-12-01

Whittemore and Knafl's updated description of methodological approach for integrative review was published in 2005. Since then, the five stages of the approach have been regularly used as a basic conceptual structure of the integrative reviews conducted by nursing researchers. However, this methodological approach is seldom examined from the perspective of how systematically and rigorously the stages are implemented in the published integrative reviews. To appraise the selected integrative reviews on the basis of the methodological approach according to the five stages published by Whittemore and Knafl in 2005. A literature review was used in this study. CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health), PubMed, OVID (Journals@Ovid) and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for integrative reviews published between 2002 and 2014. Papers were included if they used the methodological approach described by Whittemore and Knafl, were published in English and were focused on nursing education or nursing expertise. A total of 259 integrative review publications for potential inclusion were identified. Ten integrative reviews fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Findings from the studies were extracted and critically examined according to the five methodological stages. The reviews assessed followed the guidelines of the stated methodology approach to different extents. The stages of literature search, data evaluation and data analysis were fairly poorly formulated and only partially implemented in the studies included in the sample. The other two stages, problem identification and presentation, followed those described in the methodological approach quite well. Increasing use of research in clinical practice is inevitable, and therefore, integrative reviews can play a greater role in developing evidence-based nursing practices. Because of this, nurse researchers should pay more attention to sound integrative nursing research to systematise the review process and make it more rigorous. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Accuracy of unmodified Stokes' integration in the R-C-R procedure for geoid computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Zahra; Jamet, Olivier

2015-06-01

Geoid determinations by the Remove-Compute-­Restore (R-C-R) technique involves the application of Stokes' integral on reduced gravity anomalies. Numerical Stokes' integration produces an error depending on the choice of the integration radius, grid resolution and Stokes' kernel function. In this work, we aim to evaluate the accuracy of Stokes' integral through a study on synthetic gravitational signals derived from EGM2008 on three different landscape areas with respect to the size of the integration domain and the resolution of the anomaly grid. The influence of the integration radius was studied earlier by several authors. Using real data, they found that the choice of relatively small radii (less than 1°) enables to reach an optimal accuracy. We observe a general behaviour coherent with these earlier studies. On the other hand, we notice that increasing the integration radius up to 2° or 2.5° might bring significantly better results. We note that, unlike the smallest radius corresponding to a local minimum of the error curve, the optimal radius in the range 0° to 6° depends on the terrain characteristics. We also find that the high frequencies, from degree 600, improve continuously with the integration radius in both semi-­mountainous and mountain areas. Finally, we note that the relative error of the computed geoid heights depends weakly on the anomaly spherical harmonic degree in the range from degree 200 to 2000. It remains greater than 10 % for any integration radii up to 6°. This result tends to prove that a one centimetre accuracy cannot be reached in semi-mountainous and mountainous regions with the unmodified Stokes' kernel.

Adaptation of ICT Integration Approach Scale to Kosovo Culture: A Study of Validity and Reliability Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kervan, Serdan; Tezci, Erdogan

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to adapt ICT integration approach scale to Kosovo culture, which measures ICT integration approaches of university faculty to teaching and learning process. The scale developed in Turkish has been translated into Albanian to provide linguistic equivalence. The survey was given to a total of 303 instructors [161 (53.1%)…

Adaptation of Chinese Graduate Students to the Academic Integrity Requirements of a U.S. University: A Mixed Methods Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jian, Hu

2012-01-01

The purpose of this mixed method study was to investigate how graduates originating from mainland China adapt to the U.S. academic integrity requirements. In the first, quantitative phase of the study, the research questions focused on understanding the state of academic integrity in China. This guiding question was divided into two sub-questions,…

Can the Integration of Field and Classroom-Based Learning Enhance Writing? The Life on Our Shore Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Graham; Churchill, Helen; Grassam, Matthew; Scott, Lisa

2012-01-01

There is a need to evaluate the benefits to children of integrated classroom and field-based learning. In this article, we describe a case study that involves children in the production of a field guide: an authentic task which integrates learner autonomy and open enquiry with field work, information and communication technologies (ICT) and…

Arabic Teachers' Perception of an Integrated Approach for Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language in Colleges and Universities in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Mohsen, Abeer

2016-01-01

This study examines the perception of Arabic teachers on whether an integrated approach is critical for students' communicative competence in Arabic. Additionally, the study attempts to uncover what might be potential barriers to the integrated-approach program-wide implementation in the field of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language in higher…

Integrating Google Apps and Google Chromebooks into the Core Curriculum: A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experience of Public School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartolo, Paula

2017-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of public school teachers using Google Suite for Education with Google Chromebooks integrated into the core curriculum. With the adoption of Common Core standards by 46 states, the increased use of technology has occurred due to standards that integrate technology.…

Integrated learning: ways of fostering the applicability of teachers’ pedagogical and psychological knowledge

PubMed Central

Harr, Nora; Eichler, Andreas; Renkl, Alexander

2015-01-01

In teacher education, general pedagogical and psychological knowledge (PPK) is often taught separately from the teaching subject itself, potentially leading to inert knowledge. In an experimental study with 69 mathematics student teachers, we tested the benefits of fostering the integration of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and general PPK with respect to knowledge application. Integration was fostered either by integrating the contents or by prompting the learners to integrate separately taught knowledge. Fostering integration, as compared to a separate presentation without integration help, led to more applicable PPK and greater simultaneous application of PPK and PCK. The advantages of fostering knowledge integration were not moderated by the student teachers’ prior knowledge or working memory capacity. A disadvantage of integrating different knowledge types referred to increased learning times. PMID:26082740

Coherence and congruence: two aspects of personality integration.

PubMed

Sheldon, K M; Kasser, T

1995-03-01

Coherence and congruence-based measures of personality integration were related to a variety of healthy personality characteristics. Functional coherence was defined as occurring when participants' "personal strivings" (R.A. Emmons, 1986) help bring about each other or help bring about higher level goals. Organismic congruence was defined as occurring when participants strive for self-determined reasons or when strivings help bring about intrinsic rather than extrinsic higher level goals. Study 1 found the integration measures were related to each other and to inventory measures of health and well-being. Study 2 showed that these goal integration measures were also related to role system integration and were prospective predictors of daily mood, vitality, and engagement in meaningful as opposed to distracting activities.

Demand Response and Energy Storage Integration Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Ookie; Cheung, Kerry; Olsen, Daniel J.

2016-03-01

Demand response and energy storage resources present potentially important sources of bulk power system services that can aid in integrating variable renewable generation. While renewable integration studies have evaluated many of the challenges associated with deploying large amounts of variable wind and solar generation technologies, integration analyses have not yet fully incorporated demand response and energy storage resources. This report represents an initial effort in analyzing the potential integration value of demand response and energy storage, focusing on the western United States. It evaluates two major aspects of increased deployment of demand response and energy storage: (1) Their operational valuemore » in providing bulk power system services and (2) Market and regulatory issues, including potential barriers to deployment.« less

Study on the excision and integration mediated by class 1 integron in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

PubMed

Lin, Qun; Xu, Pusheng; Li, Jiaowu; Huang, Jinhua; Chen, Yin; Deng, Shuhuan

2017-10-01

As a novel antibiotic resistance mobile element, integron was recognized as a primary source of antibiotic genes among Gram-positive organisms for its excision and integration of exogenous genes. In this study, Streptococcus pneumoniae was subjected to investigate the excision and integration of class 1 integron with eight different plasmids. As the results indicated, excision in both att site and gene cassettes were successfully observed, which was further confirmed by integration assays and PCR amplification. The observation of class 1 integron mediated excision and integration of various exogenous antibiotics resistance genes may raise the attention of integrons as novel antibiotic resistance determinant in Gram-positive bacteria, especially in Streptococcus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vertical integration of teaching in Australian general practice--a survey of regional training providers.

PubMed

Stocks, Nigel P; Frank, Oliver; Linn, Andrew M; Anderson, Katrina; Meertens, Sarah

2011-06-06

To examine vertical integration of teaching and clinical training in general practice and describe practical examples being undertaken by Australian general practice regional training providers (RTPs). A qualitative study of all RTPs in Australia, mid 2010. All 17 RTPs in Australia responded. Eleven had developed some vertical integration initiatives. Several encouraged registrars to teach junior doctors and medical students, others encouraged general practitioner supervisors to run multilevel educational sessions, a few coordinated placements, linkages and support across their region. Three RTPs provided case studies of vertical integration. Many RTPs in Australia use vertical integration of teaching in their training programs. RTPs with close associations with universities and rural clinical schools seem to be leading these initiatives.

Demand Response and Energy Storage Integration Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Ookie; Cheung, Kerry

Demand response and energy storage resources present potentially important sources of bulk power system services that can aid in integrating variable renewable generation. While renewable integration studies have evaluated many of the challenges associated with deploying large amounts of variable wind and solar generation technologies, integration analyses have not yet fully incorporated demand response and energy storage resources. This report represents an initial effort in analyzing the potential integration value of demand response and energy storage, focusing on the western United States. It evaluates two major aspects of increased deployment of demand response and energy storage: (1) Their operational valuemore » in providing bulk power system services and (2) Market and regulatory issues, including potential barriers to deployment.« less

Numbers, systems, people: how interactions influence integration. Insights from case studies of HIV and reproductive health services delivery in Kenya.

PubMed

Mayhew, Susannah H; Sweeney, Sedona; Warren, Charlotte E; Collumbien, Martine; Ndwiga, Charity; Mutemwa, Richard; Lut, Irina; Colombini, Manuela; Vassall, Anna

2017-11-01

Drawing on rich data from the Integra evaluation of integrated HIV and reproductive-health services, we explored the interaction of systems hardware and software factors to explain why some facilities were able to implement and sustain integrated service delivery while others were not. This article draws on detailed mixed-methods data for four case-study facilities offering reproductive-health and HIV services between 2009 and 2013 in Kenya: (i) time-series client flow, tracking service uptake for 8841 clients; (ii) structured questionnaires with 24 providers; (iii) in-depth interviews with 17 providers; (iv) workload and facility data using a periodic activity review and cost-instruments; and (v) contextual data on external activities related to integration in study sites. Overall, our findings suggested that although structural factors like stock-outs, distribution of staffing and workload, rotation of staff can affect how integrated care is provided, all these factors can be influenced by staff themselves: both frontline and management. Facilities where staff displayed agency of decision making, worked as a team to share workload and had management that supported this, showed better integration delivery and staff were able to overcome some structural deficiencies to enable integrated care. Poor-performing facilities had good structural integration, but staff were unable to utilize this because they were poorly organized, unsupported or teams were dysfunctional. Conscientious objection and moralistic attitudes were also barriers.Integra has demonstrated that structural integration is not sufficient for integrated service delivery. Rather, our case studies show that in some cases excellent leadership and peer-teamwork enabled facilities to perform well despite resource shortages. The ability to provide support for staff to work flexibly to deliver integrated services and build resilient health systems to meet changing needs is particularly relevant as health systems face challenges of changing burdens of disease, climate change, epidemic outbreaks and more. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Integration of the TDWR and LLWAS wind shear detection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornman, Larry

1991-01-01

Operational demonstrations of a prototype TDWR/LLWAS (Terminal Doppler Weather Radar/Low Level Wind shear Alarm System) integrated wind shear detection system were conducted. The integration of wind shear detection systems is needed to provide end-users with a single, consensus source of information. A properly implemented integrated system provides wind shear warnings of a higher quality than stand-alone LLWAS or TDWR systems. The algorithmic concept used to generate the TDWR/LLWAS integrated products and several case studies are discussed, indicating the viability and potential of integrated wind shear detection systems. Implications for integrating ground and airborne wind shear detection systems are briefly examined.

PISCES: An Integral Field Spectrograph Technology Demonstration for the WFIRST Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McElwain, Michael W.; Mandell, Avi M.; Gong, Qian; Llop-Sayson, Jorge; Brandt, Timothy; Chambers, Victor J.; Grammer, Bryan; Greeley, Bradford; Hilton, George; Perrin, Marshall D.;

PISCES: an integral field spectrograph technology demonstration for the WFIRST coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McElwain, Michael W.; Mandell, Avi M.; Gong, Qian; Llop-Sayson, Jorge; Brandt, Timothy; Chambers, Victor J.; Grammer, Bryan; Greeley, Bradford; Hilton, George; Perrin, Marshall D.; Stapelfeldt, Karl R.; Demers, Richard; Tang, Hong; Cady, Eric

2016-07-01

We present the design, integration, and test of the Prototype Imaging Spectrograph for Coronagraphic Exoplanet Studies (PISCES) integral field spectrograph (IFS). The PISCES design meets the science requirements for the Wide-Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Coronagraph Instrument (CGI). PISCES was integrated and tested in the integral field spectroscopy laboratory at NASA Goddard. In June 2016, PISCES was delivered to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where it was integrated with the Shaped Pupil Coronagraph (SPC) High Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT). The SPC/PISCES configuration will demonstrate high contrast integral field spectroscopy as part of the WFIRST CGI technology development program.

An exploratory examination of the relationship between motivational factors and the degree to which the higher education faculty integrate computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools into their courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murage, Francis Ndwiga

The stated research problem of this study was to examine the relationship between motivational factors and the degree to which the higher education faculty integrate CMC tools into their courses. The study population and sample involved higher education faculty teaching in science departments at one public university and three public colleges in the state of West Virginia (N = 153). A Likert-type rating scale survey was used to collect data based on the research questions. Two parts of the survey were adopted from previous studies while the other two were self-constructed. Research questions and hypothesis were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential analyses. The study results established a positive relationship between motivational factors and the degree the higher education faculty integrate CMC tools in their courses. The results in addition established that faculty are highly motivated to integrate CMC tools by intrinsic factors, moderately motivated by environmental factors and least motivated by extrinsic factors. The results also established that the most integrated CMC tools were those that support asynchronous methods of communication while the least integrated were those that support synchronous methods of communication. A major conclusion made was that members of higher education faculty are more likely to be motivated to integrate CMC tools into their courses by intrinsic factors rather than extrinsic or environmental factors. It was further concluded that intrinsic factors that supported and enhanced student learning as well as those that were altruistic in nature significantly influenced the degree of CMC integration. The study finally concluded that to larger extent, there is a relationship between motivational factors and the degree to which the higher education faculty integrate CMC tools in their courses. A major implication of this study was that institutions that wish to promote integration of CMC technologies should provide as much evidence as possible that the new mode of teaching will improve learning and meet the teaching needs of individual faculty. Further, institutional leadership should recognize and consider individual differences among faculty, especially acknowledging that locus of motivation is not the same for everyone and that it changes overtime depending on internal and external factors.

Impact of Vial Capping on Residual Seal Force and Container Closure Integrity.

PubMed

Mathaes, Roman; Mahler, Hanns-Christian; Roggo, Yves; Ovadia, Robert; Lam, Philippe; Stauch, Oliver; Vogt, Martin; Roehl, Holger; Huwyler, Joerg; Mohl, Silke; Streubel, Alexander

2016-01-01

The vial capping process is a critical unit operation during drug product manufacturing, as it could possibly generate cosmetic defects or even affect container closure integrity. Yet there is significant variability in capping equipment and processes, and their relation to potential defects or container closure integrity has not been thoroughly studied. In this study we applied several methods-residual seal force tester, a self-developed system of a piezo force sensor measurement, and computed tomography-to characterize different container closure system combinations that had been sealed using different capping process parameter settings. Additionally, container closure integrity of these samples was measured using helium leakage (physical container closure integrity) and compared to characterization data. The different capping equipment settings lead to residual seal force values from 7 to 115 N. High residual seal force values were achieved with high capping pre-compression force and a short distance between the capping plate and plunge. The choice of container closure system influenced the obtained residual seal force values. The residual seal force tester and piezoelectric measurements showed similar trends. All vials passed physical container closure integrity testing, and no stopper rupture was seen with any of the settings applied, suggesting that container closure integrity was warranted for the studied container closure system with the chosen capping setting ranges. The vial capping process is a critical unit operation during drug product manufacturing, as it could possibly generate cosmetic defects or even affect container closure integrity. Yet there is significant variability in capping equipment and processes, and their relation to potential defects or container closure integrity has not been thoroughly studied. In this study we applied several methods-residual seal force tester, a self-developed system of a piezo force sensor measurement, and computed tomography-to characterize different container closure system combinations that had been sealed using different capping process parameter settings. The residual seal force tester can analyze a variety of different container closure systems independent of the capping equipment. An adequate and safe residual seal force range for each container closure system configuration can be established with the residual seal force tester and additional methods like computed tomography scans and leak testing. In the residual seal force range studied, the physical container closure integrity of the container closure system was warranted. © PDA, Inc. 2016.

Design of piles for integral abutment bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-08-01

More and more, integral abutment bridges are being used in place : of the more traditional bridge designs with expansion releases. In : this study, states which use integral abutment bridges were surveyed : to determine their current practice in the ...

Field study of an integral backwall bridge : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-01-01

Integral bridges offer reduced maintenance expenditures, primarily due to the elimination of deck expansion joints. The design of an integral bridge, however, is complicated by the soil-structure interaction associated with thermal movements. It has ...

Mergers and integrated care: the Quebec experience.

PubMed

Demers, Louis

2013-01-01

As a researcher, I have studied the efforts to increase the integration of health and social services in Quebec, as well as the mergers in the Quebec healthcare system. These mergers have often been presented as a necessary transition to break down the silos that compartmentalize the services dispensed by various organisations. A review of the studies about mergers and integrated care projects in the Quebec healthcare system, since its inception, show that mergers cannot facilitate integrated care unless they are desired and represent for all of the actors involved an appropriate way to deal with service organisation problems. Otherwise, mergers impede integrated care by creating increased bureaucratisation and standardisation and by triggering conflicts and mistrust among the staff of the merged organisations. It is then preferable to let local actors select the most appropriate organisational integration model for their specific context and offer them resources and incentives to cooperate.

Mergers and integrated care: the Quebec experience

PubMed Central

Demers, Louis

2013-01-01

As a researcher, I have studied the efforts to increase the integration of health and social services in Quebec, as well as the mergers in the Quebec healthcare system. These mergers have often been presented as a necessary transition to break down the silos that compartmentalize the services dispensed by various organisations. A review of the studies about mergers and integrated care projects in the Quebec healthcare system, since its inception, show that mergers cannot facilitate integrated care unless they are desired and represent for all of the actors involved an appropriate way to deal with service organisation problems. Otherwise, mergers impede integrated care by creating increased bureaucratisation and standardisation and by triggering conflicts and mistrust among the staff of the merged organisations. It is then preferable to let local actors select the most appropriate organisational integration model for their specific context and offer them resources and incentives to cooperate. PMID:23687474

Integrating Complementary and Alternative Medicine Education Into the Pharmacy Curriculum

PubMed Central

Wallis, Marianne

2008-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated approach to the teaching of evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a pharmacy curriculum. Design Evidence-based CAM education was integrated throughout the third, fourth, and fifth years of the pharmacy curriculum. Specifically, an introductory module focusing on CAM familiarization was added in the third year and integrated, evidence-based teaching related to CAM was incorporated into clinical topics through lectures and clinical case studies in the fourth and fifth years. Assessment Students' self-assessed and actual CAM knowledge increased, as did their use of evidence-based CAM resources. However, only 30% of the fourth-year students felt they had learned enough about CAM. Students preferred having CAM teaching integrated into the curriculum beginning in the first year rather than waiting until later in their education. Conclusion CAM education integrated over several years of study increases students' knowledge and application. PMID:19002274

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chinthavali, Madhu Sudhan; Campbell, Steven L; Tolbert, Leon M

So far, vehicular power electronics integration is limited to the integration of on-board battery chargers (OBC) into the traction drive system and sometimes to the accessory dc/dc converters in plug-in electric vehicles (PEV). These integration approaches do not provide isolation from the grid although it is an important feature that is required for user interface systems that have grid connections. This is therefore a major limitation that needs to be addressed along with the integrated functionality. Furthermore, there is no previous study that proposes the integration of wireless charger with the other on-board components. This study features a unique waymore » of combining the wired and wireless charging functionalities with vehicle side boost converter integration and maintaining the isolation to provide the best solution to the plug-in electric vehicle users. The new topology is additionally compared with commercially available OBC systems from manufacturers.« less

Integrated command, control, communication and computation system design study. Summary of tasks performed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

A summary of tasks performed on an integrated command, control, communication, and computation system design study is given. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System command and control system study, an automated real-time operations study, and image processing work are discussed.

75 FR 54159 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-03

... Integrated Review Group; Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Study Section. Date: September 28-29, 2010. Time... Skin Sciences Integrated Review Group; Arthritis, Connective Tissue and Skin Study Section. Date...

Comparative health systems research among Kaiser Permanente and other integrated delivery systems: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Maeda, Jared Lane K; Lee, Karen M; Horberg, Michael

2014-01-01

Because of rising health care costs, wide variations in quality, and increased patient complexity, the US health care system is undergoing rapid changes that include payment reform and movement toward integrated delivery systems. Well-established integrated delivery systems, such as Kaiser Permanente (KP), should work to identify the specific system-level factors that result in superior patient outcomes in response to policymakers' concerns. Comparative health systems research can provide insights into which particular aspects of the integrated delivery system result in improved care delivery. To provide a baseline understanding of comparative health systems research related to integrated delivery systems and KP. Systematic literature review. We conducted a literature search on PubMed and the KP Publications Library. Studies that compared KP as a system or organization with other health care systems or across KP facilities internally were included. The literature search identified 1605 articles, of which 65 met the study inclusion criteria and were examined by 3 reviewers. Most comparative health systems studies focused on intra-KP comparisons (n = 42). Fewer studies compared KP with other US (n = 15) or international (n = 12) health care systems. Several themes emerged from the literature as possible factors that may contribute to improved care delivery in integrated delivery systems. Of all studies published by or about KP, only a small proportion of articles (4%) was identified as being comparative health systems research. Additional empirical studies that compare the specific factors of the integrated delivery system model with other systems of care are needed to better understand the "system-level" factors that result in improved and/or diminished care delivery.

Sensemaking: a driving force behind the integration of professional practices.

PubMed

Sylvain, Chantal; Lamothe, Lise

2012-01-01

There has been considerable effort in recent years to link and integrate professional services more closely for patients with comorbidities. However, difficulties persist, especially at the clinical level. This study aims to shed light on these difficulties by examining the process of sensemaking in professionals directly involved in this integration. The authors conducted an eight-year longitudinal case study of an organization specializing in mental health and substance abuse. Different data collection methods were used, including 34 interviews conducted between 2003 and 2009, observations and document analysis. The authors performed a qualitative analysis of the data using a processual perspective. This paper provides empirical insights about the nature of the sensemaking process in which professionals collectively participate and the effects of this process on the evolution of integrated services. It suggests that the development of integrated practices results from an evolutional and collective process of constructing meanings that is rooted in the work activities of the professionals involved. By drawing attention to the capacity of professionals to shape the projects they are implementing, this study questions the capacity of managers to actually manage such a process. In order to obtain the expected benefits of integration projects, such emergent dynamics must first be recognized and then supported. Only then can thought be given to mastering them. The fact that this is a single case study is not a limitation per se, although it does raise the issue of the transferability of results. Replicating the study in other contexts would verify the applicability of the authors' conclusions. This study offers a fresh perspective on the difficulties generally encountered at the clinical level when trying to integrate services. It makes a significant contribution to work on the dynamics of sensemaking in organizational life.

United we stand, divided we fall: a meta-analysis of experiments on clonal integration and its relationship to invasiveness.

PubMed

Song, Yao-Bin; Yu, Fei-Hai; Keser, Lidewij H; Dawson, Wayne; Fischer, Markus; Dong, Ming; van Kleunen, Mark

2013-02-01

Many ecosystems are dominated by clonal plants. Among the most distinctive characteristics of clonal plants is their potential for clonal integration (i.e. the translocation of resources between interconnected ramets), suggesting that integration may play a role in their success. However, a general synthesis of effects of clonal integration on plant performance is lacking. We conducted a meta-analysis on the effects of clonal integration on biomass production and asexual reproduction of the whole clone, the recipient part (i.e. the part of a clone that imports resources) and the donor part (i.e. the part of a clone that exports resources). The final dataset contained 389 effect sizes from 84 studies covering 57 taxa. Overall, clonal integration increased performance of recipient parts without decreasing that of donor parts, and thus increased performance of whole clones. Among the studies and taxa considered, the benefits of clonal integration did not differ between two types of experimental approaches, between stoloniferous and rhizomatous growth forms, between directions of resource translocation (from younger to older ramet or vice versa), or among types of translocated resources (water, nutrients and carbohydrates). Clonal taxa with larger benefits of integration on whole-clone performance were not more invasive globally, but taxa in which recipient parts in unfavorable patches benefited more from integration were. Our results demonstrate general performance benefits of clonal integration, at least in the short term, and suggest that clonal integration contributes to the success of clonal plants.

Development of an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis for Healthy Internet Use: Theory and Preliminary Evidence

PubMed Central

Lin, Xiaoyan; Su, Wenliang; Potenza, Marc N.

2018-01-01

The Internet has become an integral part of our daily life, and how to make the best use of the Internet is important to both individuals and the society. Based on previous studies, an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis is proposed to suggest a framework for considering harmonious and balanced Internet use. The Integration Hypothesis proposes that healthier patterns of Internet usage may be achieved through harmonious integration of people’s online and offline worlds. An online/offline integration is proposed to unite self-identity, interpersonal relationships, and social functioning with both cognitive and behavioral aspects by following the principles of communication, transfer, consistency, and “offline-first” priorities. To begin to test the hypothesis regarding the relationship between integration level and psychological outcomes, data for the present study were collected from 626 undergraduate students (41.5% males). Participants completed scales for online and offline integration, Internet addiction, pros and cons of Internet use, loneliness, extraversion, and life satisfaction. The findings revealed that subjects with higher level of online/offline integration have higher life satisfaction, greater extraversion, and more positive perceptions of the Internet and less loneliness, lower Internet addiction, and fewer negative perceptions of the Internet. Integration mediates the link between extraversion and psychological outcomes, and it may be the mechanism underlying the difference between the “rich get richer” and social compensation hypotheses. The implications of the online and offline integration hypothesis are discussed. PMID:29706910

Development of an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis for Healthy Internet Use: Theory and Preliminary Evidence.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaoyan; Su, Wenliang; Potenza, Marc N

2018-01-01

The Internet has become an integral part of our daily life, and how to make the best use of the Internet is important to both individuals and the society. Based on previous studies, an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis is proposed to suggest a framework for considering harmonious and balanced Internet use. The Integration Hypothesis proposes that healthier patterns of Internet usage may be achieved through harmonious integration of people's online and offline worlds. An online/offline integration is proposed to unite self-identity, interpersonal relationships, and social functioning with both cognitive and behavioral aspects by following the principles of communication, transfer, consistency, and "offline-first" priorities. To begin to test the hypothesis regarding the relationship between integration level and psychological outcomes, data for the present study were collected from 626 undergraduate students (41.5% males). Participants completed scales for online and offline integration, Internet addiction, pros and cons of Internet use, loneliness, extraversion, and life satisfaction. The findings revealed that subjects with higher level of online/offline integration have higher life satisfaction, greater extraversion, and more positive perceptions of the Internet and less loneliness, lower Internet addiction, and fewer negative perceptions of the Internet. Integration mediates the link between extraversion and psychological outcomes, and it may be the mechanism underlying the difference between the "rich get richer" and social compensation hypotheses. The implications of the online and offline integration hypothesis are discussed.

THE TOPIC OF RESEARCH INTEGRITY IN LATINAMERICA1

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Eduardo; Lolas, Fernando

2012-01-01

Present article narrates the experience of trainees of the ethics of biomedical and psychosocial research program of the Interdisciplinary Center for studies on bioethics (CIEB) of the University of Chile on the topic of research integrity in Latin America. The following problems are covered: integrity of publications, reporting of scientific research misconduct, definitions of research integrity, scientific ethical review committees functioning, international multi-centric clinical trials monitoring and norms for scientific integrity and ethical oversight. PMID:22679532

Assuring structural integrity in Army systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

The object of this study was to recommend possible improvements in the manner in which structural integrity of Army systems is assured. The elements of a structural integrity program are described, and relevant practices used in various industries and government organizations are reviewed. Some case histories of Army weapon systems are examined. The mandatory imposition of a structural integrity program patterned after the Air Force Aircraft Structural Integrity Program is recommended and the benefits of such an action are identified.

The Infrastructure of an Integrated Virtual Reality Environment for International Space Welding Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Peter Hor-Ching

1996-01-01

This study is a continuation of the summer research of 1995 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program. This effort is to provide the infrastructure of an integrated Virtual Reality (VR) environment for the International Space Welding Experiment (ISWE) Analytical Tool and Trainer and the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Analytical Tool study. Due to the unavailability of the MSG CAD files and the 3D-CAD converter, little was done to the MSG study. However, the infrastructure of the integrated VR environment for ISWE is capable of performing the MSG study when the CAD files become available. Two primary goals are established for this research. First, the essential peripheral devices for an integrated VR environment will be studied and developed for the ISWE and MSG studies. Secondly, the training of the flight crew (astronaut) in general orientation, procedures, and location, orientation, and sequencing of the welding samples and tools are built into the VR system for studying the welding process and training the astronaut.

Mental Disorders and Work Integration: A Retrospective Study in a Northern Italian Town

PubMed Central

Buizza, Chiara; Pioli, Rosaria; Lecchi, Sara; Bonetto, Chiara; Bartoli, Anna; Taglietti, Renzo; Ghilardi, Alberto; Riva, Eugenio

2014-01-01

Objectives: The present study was conducted in a vocational integration service of a northern Italian town with two major aims: to assess vocational integration programs undertaken from 1st January 2004 to 1st January 2007; and to identify job tenure-associated predictors. Methods: This is a retrospective study; we collected data such as gender, age, duration, type and outcome of the vocational integration program, and number of interventions performed by the vocational integration service. Self-report questionnaires were also used to assess the satisfaction of users, caregivers, practitioners, and of the company contacts involved in the study. Results: The service has enrolled 84 users during the observation period. Out of these users, 64.3% of them still had their jobs after three years. Users, caregivers and company contacts expressed high levels of satisfaction for the support received by the vocational integration service. The company expressed less satisfaction for the collaboration received by the Departments of Mental Health (DMHs) that coached the users. The only variable associated to the outcome was the number of interventions that the users received before their placement on the job. Conclusions: Despite all the limits of this study, its results show that the chance of taking advantage of a supported job placement service has likely proven itself effective in helping people with mental disorders to obtain and maintain a competitive employment. Our results, however, also point to the necessity of implementing newer strategies meant to develop a greater integration among all services dealing with mentally ill people. PMID:24600480

Integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for cell mechanics and mechanobiology: a materials perspective.

PubMed

Shao, Yue; Fu, Jianping

2014-03-12

The rapid development of micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials in the last two decades has empowered materials scientists and bioengineers to precisely control different aspects of the in vitro cell microenvironment. Following a philosophy of reductionism, many studies using synthetic functional biomaterials have revealed instructive roles of individual extracellular biophysical and biochemical cues in regulating cellular behaviors. Development of integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials to study complex and emergent biological phenomena has also thrived rapidly in recent years, revealing adaptive and integrated cellular behaviors closely relevant to human physiological and pathological conditions. Working at the interface between materials science and engineering, biology, and medicine, we are now at the beginning of a great exploration using micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for both fundamental biology study and clinical and biomedical applications such as regenerative medicine and drug screening. In this review, an overview of state of the art micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials that can control precisely individual aspects of cell-microenvironment interactions is presented and they are highlighted them as well-controlled platforms for mechanistic studies of mechano-sensitive and -responsive cellular behaviors and integrative biology research. The recent exciting trend where micro/nanoengineered biomaterials are integrated into miniaturized biological and biomimetic systems for dynamic multiparametric microenvironmental control of emergent and integrated cellular behaviors is also discussed. The impact of integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for future in vitro studies of regenerative medicine, cell biology, as well as human development and disease models are discussed. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Integrative Analysis of Omics Big Data.

PubMed

Yu, Xiang-Tian; Zeng, Tao

2018-01-01

The diversity and huge omics data take biology and biomedicine research and application into a big data era, just like that popular in human society a decade ago. They are opening a new challenge from horizontal data ensemble (e.g., the similar types of data collected from different labs or companies) to vertical data ensemble (e.g., the different types of data collected for a group of person with match information), which requires the integrative analysis in biology and biomedicine and also asks for emergent development of data integration to address the great changes from previous population-guided to newly individual-guided investigations.Data integration is an effective concept to solve the complex problem or understand the complicate system. Several benchmark studies have revealed the heterogeneity and trade-off that existed in the analysis of omics data. Integrative analysis can combine and investigate many datasets in a cost-effective reproducible way. Current integration approaches on biological data have two modes: one is "bottom-up integration" mode with follow-up manual integration, and the other one is "top-down integration" mode with follow-up in silico integration.This paper will firstly summarize the combinatory analysis approaches to give candidate protocol on biological experiment design for effectively integrative study on genomics and then survey the data fusion approaches to give helpful instruction on computational model development for biological significance detection, which have also provided newly data resources and analysis tools to support the precision medicine dependent on the big biomedical data. Finally, the problems and future directions are highlighted for integrative analysis of omics big data.

Integrated Science: Providing a More Complete Understanding of Complex Problems

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

Integration among sciences is critical in order to address some of our most pressing problems. Because of the inherent complexity of natural systems, and the increasing complexity of human demands on them, narrowly-focused approaches are no longer sufficient. USGS Workshop on Enhancing Integrated Science, November 1998. The Mid-Continent Geographic Science Center is actively participating in several integrated science studies that include research partners from the other disciplines of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), other Federal and State agencies, universities, and private non-government organizations. The following three examples illustrate the diversity of these studies.

Integrative dimensions of psychotherapy training.

PubMed

Greben, Daniel H

2004-04-01

This paper investigates the influence of integrative factors on psychotherapy education. The broad relevance of integrative psychotherapy to residency training and continuing mental health education is discussed. Following a review of the existing literature on the education of integrative psychotherapists, the article systematically examines the integrative and pedagogic issues to be considered in planning psychotherapy training informed by integrative principles. The integrative issues are organized into 5 categories: attitudinal set, knowledge base, clinical techniques and skills, developmental tasks and challenges, and systemic institutional factors. The educational issues can be divided into 4 categories: content, format and process, sequence, and faculty development. Brief descriptions of actual educational interventions illustrate the implementation of such ideas. Specific recommendations are made regarding the development of integrative educational initiatives and future study of unresolved questions.

The spatial reliability of task-irrelevant sounds modulates bimodal audiovisual integration: An event-related potential study.

PubMed

Li, Qi; Yu, Hongtao; Wu, Yan; Gao, Ning

2016-08-26

The integration of multiple sensory inputs is essential for perception of the external world. The spatial factor is a fundamental property of multisensory audiovisual integration. Previous studies of the spatial constraints on bimodal audiovisual integration have mainly focused on the spatial congruity of audiovisual information. However, the effect of spatial reliability within audiovisual information on bimodal audiovisual integration remains unclear. In this study, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine the effect of spatial reliability of task-irrelevant sounds on audiovisual integration. Three relevant ERP components emerged: the first at 140-200ms over a wide central area, the second at 280-320ms over the fronto-central area, and a third at 380-440ms over the parieto-occipital area. Our results demonstrate that ERP amplitudes elicited by audiovisual stimuli with reliable spatial relationships are larger than those elicited by stimuli with inconsistent spatial relationships. In addition, we hypothesized that spatial reliability within an audiovisual stimulus enhances feedback projections to the primary visual cortex from multisensory integration regions. Overall, our findings suggest that the spatial linking of visual and auditory information depends on spatial reliability within an audiovisual stimulus and occurs at a relatively late stage of processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Institutional conditions for IWRM: the Israeli case.

PubMed

Fischhendler, Itay

2008-01-01

Many places in the world are experiencing a water crisis. This water crisis is attributed to a governance crisis, whereas often fragmented institutional and physical water structures are used to explain a policy of overexploitation. The Israeli water system, which adopted integrated water resource management (IWRM), is often cited as a model for other countries struggling with fragmented water systems. Yet, despite the exceptional degree of integration, Israel in the past two decades has adopted an unsustainable water policy. The aim of this study is to understand this failure and thereby to postulate on the institutional conditions required for successful implementation of IWRM. The study focuses on the politics of water allocation during the drought of 1999 to 2002. It was found that the failure originates in setting administrative divisions in the decision-making process and in differential checks, with no balances implicitly instituted within the integrated water system. These two factors have resulted in a water system that is physically integrated but is not coupled by a balanced institutional structure. This case study teaches us that when reforming the water sector along IWRM lines, measures must be taken to ensure that the physical integration coincides with a balanced institutional integration-otherwise the results may be worse than if there were no integration at all.

Transposon integration enhances expression of stress response genes.

PubMed

Feng, Gang; Leem, Young-Eun; Levin, Henry L

2013-01-01

Transposable elements possess specific patterns of integration. The biological impact of these integration profiles is not well understood. Tf1, a long-terminal repeat retrotransposon in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, integrates into promoters with a preference for the promoters of stress response genes. To determine the biological significance of Tf1 integration, we took advantage of saturated maps of insertion activity and studied how integration at hot spots affected the expression of the adjacent genes. Our study revealed that Tf1 integration did not reduce gene expression. Importantly, the insertions activated the expression of 6 of 32 genes tested. We found that Tf1 increased gene expression by inserting enhancer activity. Interestingly, the enhancer activity of Tf1 could be limited by Abp1, a host surveillance factor that sequesters transposon sequences into structures containing histone deacetylases. We found the Tf1 promoter was activated by heat treatment and, remarkably, only genes that themselves were induced by heat could be activated by Tf1 integration, suggesting a synergy of Tf1 enhancer sequence with the stress response elements of target promoters. We propose that the integration preference of Tf1 for the promoters of stress response genes and the ability of Tf1 to enhance the expression of these genes co-evolved to promote the survival of cells under stress.

Students' perception of an integrated approach of teaching entire sequence of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmacotherapeutics courses in PharmD curriculum.

PubMed

Islam, Mohammed A; Schweiger, Teresa A

2015-04-01

To develop an integrated approach of teaching medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmacotherapeutics and to evaluate students' perceptions of integration as they progress through the PharmD curriculum. Instructors from each discipline jointly mapped the course contents and sequenced the course delivery based on organ systems/disease states. Medicinal chemistry and pharmacology contents were integrated and aligned with respective pharmacotherapeutics contents to deliver throughout second and third year of the curriculum. In addition to classroom lectures, active learning strategies such as recitation, case studies, online-discussion boards, open book quizzes, and writing patient progress notes were incorporated to enhance student learning. Student learning was assessed by examination scores, patient progress notes, and writing assignments. The impact of course integration was evaluated by a Web-based survey. One hundred and sixty-nine students completed the survey. Students exhibited positive attitude toward the integrated approach of teaching medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutics. The P3 and P4 students better appreciated the benefits of integration compared to P2 students (P < .05). Students perceived the course integration as an effective way of learning. This study supports course improvement and the viability of expanding the concept of integration to other courses in the curriculum. © The Author(s) 2014.

Transposon integration enhances expression of stress response genes

PubMed Central

Feng, Gang; Leem, Young-Eun; Levin, Henry L.

2013-01-01

Transposable elements possess specific patterns of integration. The biological impact of these integration profiles is not well understood. Tf1, a long-terminal repeat retrotransposon in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, integrates into promoters with a preference for the promoters of stress response genes. To determine the biological significance of Tf1 integration, we took advantage of saturated maps of insertion activity and studied how integration at hot spots affected the expression of the adjacent genes. Our study revealed that Tf1 integration did not reduce gene expression. Importantly, the insertions activated the expression of 6 of 32 genes tested. We found that Tf1 increased gene expression by inserting enhancer activity. Interestingly, the enhancer activity of Tf1 could be limited by Abp1, a host surveillance factor that sequesters transposon sequences into structures containing histone deacetylases. We found the Tf1 promoter was activated by heat treatment and, remarkably, only genes that themselves were induced by heat could be activated by Tf1 integration, suggesting a synergy of Tf1 enhancer sequence with the stress response elements of target promoters. We propose that the integration preference of Tf1 for the promoters of stress response genes and the ability of Tf1 to enhance the expression of these genes co-evolved to promote the survival of cells under stress. PMID:23193295

Enlarged temporal integration window in schizophrenia indicated by the double-flash illusion.

PubMed

Haß, Katharina; Sinke, Christopher; Reese, Tanya; Roy, Mandy; Wiswede, Daniel; Dillo, Wolfgang; Oranje, Bob; Szycik, Gregor R

2017-03-01

In the present study we were interested in the processing of audio-visual integration in schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. The amount of sound-induced double-flash illusions served as an indicator of audio-visual integration. We expected an altered integration as well as a different window of temporal integration for patients. Fifteen schizophrenia patients and 15 healthy volunteers matched for age and gender were included in this study. We used stimuli with eight different temporal delays (stimulus onset asynchronys (SOAs) 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200 and 300 ms) to induce a double-flash illusion. Group differences and the widths of temporal integration windows were calculated on percentages of reported double-flash illusions. Patients showed significantly more illusions (ca. 36-44% vs. 9-16% in control subjects) for SOAs 150-300. The temporal integration window for control participants went from SOAs 25 to 200 whereas for patients integration was found across all included temporal delays. We found no significant relationship between the amount of illusions and either illness severity, chlorpromazine equivalent doses or duration of illness in patients. Our results are interpreted in favour of an enlarged temporal integration window for audio-visual stimuli in schizophrenia patients, which is consistent with previous research.

Social integration and substance use: assessing the effects of an early intervention programme for youth.

PubMed

Brand, Amélie; Guillod, Line; Habersaat, Stéphanie; Panchaud, Evelyne; Stéphan, Philippe; Urben, Sébastien

2018-06-01

Appropriate social integration has been shown to be a protective factor against substance use among adolescents and associated negative consequences. Promoting social integration through early intervention with adolescents using substances is thus necessary and is the aim of the Identification, Assessment and Follow-up of Adolescents with Substance Use (in French, Dépistage - évaluation - parrainage d'adolescents consommateurs de substances (DEPART) programme. The present study aimed to describe this programme and its participants from 2009 to 2013 as well as to assess its effects on social integration. Data from 398 adolescents using substances who attended the DEPART programme were analysed. The results showed that almost 80% of the adolescents admitted to the DEPART programme were boys, with a large proportion using cannabis. Globally, social integration did not increase from admission to discharge from the programme, but a shift was observed for school and professional integration. Additionally, after the intervention, we observed that social integration was more important in younger patients. This study showed that adolescents with problematic substance use mostly consumed soft drugs and that those who were integrated into the DEPART programme at a younger age were more likely to be socially integrated at the end of the programme. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

How To Build an Integrated Neighborhood Approach to Support Community-Dwelling Older People?

PubMed Central

Cramm, Jane Murray; Nieboer, Anna Petra

2016-01-01

Background: Although the need for integrated neighborhood approaches (INAs) is widely recognized, we lack insight into strategies like INA. We describe diverse Dutch INA partners’ experiences to provide integrated person- and population-centered support to community-dwelling older people using an adapted version of Valentijn and colleagues’ integrated care model. Our main objective was to explore the experiences with INA participation. We sought to increase our understanding of the challenges facing these partners and identify factors facilitating and inhibiting integration within and among multiple levels. Methods: Twenty-one interviews with INA partners (including local health and social care organizations, older people, municipal officers, and a health insurer) were conducted and subjected to latent content analysis. Results: This study showed that integrated care and support provision through an INA is a complex, dynamic process requiring multilevel alignment of activities. The INA achieved integration at the personal, service, and professional levels only occasionally. Micro-level bottom-up initiatives were not aligned with top-down incentives, forcing community workers to establish integration despite rather than because of meso- and macro-level contexts. Conclusions: Top-down incentives should be better aligned with bottom-up initiatives. This study further demonstrated the importance of community-level engagement in integrated care and support provision. PMID:27616960

Self-consistency in Bicultural Persons: Dialectical Self-beliefs Mediate the Relation between Identity Integration and Self-consistency

PubMed Central

Zhang, Rui; Noels, Kimberly A.; Lalonde, Richard N.; Salas, S. J.

2017-01-01

Prior research differentiates dialectical (e.g., East Asian) from non-dialectical cultures (e.g., North American and Latino) and attributes cultural differences in self-concept consistency to naïve dialecticism. In this research, we explored the effects of managing two cultural identities on consistency within the bicultural self-concept via the role of dialectical beliefs. Because the challenge of integrating more than one culture within the self is common to biculturals of various heritage backgrounds, the effects of bicultural identity integration should not depend on whether the heritage culture is dialectical or not. In four studies across diverse groups of bicultural Canadians, we showed that having an integrated bicultural identity was associated with being more consistent across roles (Studies 1–3) and making less ambiguous self-evaluations (Study 4). Furthermore, dialectical self-beliefs mediated the effect of bicultural identity integration on self-consistency (Studies 2–4). Finally, Latino biculturals reported being more consistent across roles than did East Asian biculturals (Study 2), revealing the ethnic heritage difference between the two groups. We conclude that both the content of heritage culture and the process of integrating cultural identities influence the extent of self-consistency among biculturals. Thus, consistency within the bicultural self-concept can be understood, in part, to be a unique psychological product of bicultural experience. PMID:28326052

Self-consistency in Bicultural Persons: Dialectical Self-beliefs Mediate the Relation between Identity Integration and Self-consistency.

PubMed

Zhang, Rui; Noels, Kimberly A; Lalonde, Richard N; Salas, S J

2017-01-01

Prior research differentiates dialectical (e.g., East Asian) from non-dialectical cultures (e.g., North American and Latino) and attributes cultural differences in self-concept consistency to naïve dialecticism. In this research, we explored the effects of managing two cultural identities on consistency within the bicultural self-concept via the role of dialectical beliefs. Because the challenge of integrating more than one culture within the self is common to biculturals of various heritage backgrounds, the effects of bicultural identity integration should not depend on whether the heritage culture is dialectical or not. In four studies across diverse groups of bicultural Canadians, we showed that having an integrated bicultural identity was associated with being more consistent across roles (Studies 1-3) and making less ambiguous self-evaluations (Study 4). Furthermore, dialectical self-beliefs mediated the effect of bicultural identity integration on self-consistency (Studies 2-4). Finally, Latino biculturals reported being more consistent across roles than did East Asian biculturals (Study 2), revealing the ethnic heritage difference between the two groups. We conclude that both the content of heritage culture and the process of integrating cultural identities influence the extent of self-consistency among biculturals. Thus, consistency within the bicultural self-concept can be understood, in part, to be a unique psychological product of bicultural experience.

Integrative care for the management of low back pain: use of a clinical care pathway.

PubMed

Maiers, Michele J; Westrom, Kristine K; Legendre, Claire G; Bronfort, Gert

2010-10-29

For the treatment of chronic back pain, it has been theorized that integrative care plans can lead to better outcomes than those achieved by monodisciplinary care alone, especially when using a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and non-hierarchical team approach. This paper describes the use of a care pathway designed to guide treatment by an integrative group of providers within a randomized controlled trial. A clinical care pathway was used by a multidisciplinary group of providers, which included acupuncturists, chiropractors, cognitive behavioral therapists, exercise therapists, massage therapists and primary care physicians. Treatment recommendations were based on an evidence-informed practice model, and reached by group consensus. Research study participants were empowered to select one of the treatment recommendations proposed by the integrative group. Common principles and benchmarks were established to guide treatment management throughout the study. Thirteen providers representing 5 healthcare professions collaborated to provide integrative care to study participants. On average, 3 to 4 treatment plans, each consisting of 2 to 3 modalities, were recommended to study participants. Exercise, massage, and acupuncture were both most commonly recommended by the team and selected by study participants. Changes to care commonly incorporated cognitive behavioral therapy into treatment plans. This clinical care pathway was a useful tool for the consistent application of evidence-based care for low back pain in the context of an integrative setting. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00567333.

INTEGRAL Studies of Nonthermal Emission From the Supernova Remnants Cassiopeia A, CTA 1, and MSH 11-61A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sturner, S. J.; Beckmann, V.; Bykov, A.; Lebrun, F.; Terrier, R.

2004-01-01

We present the initial results from our study of the nonthermal continuum emission from the supernova remnants Cassiopeia A, MSB 11-61-4, a d CT-4 1. We used the INTEGRAL Core Program data to conduct this study. During the INTEGRAL mission a significant fraction of the total observing time (e.g. 35% in year one) is allocated to the Core Program and is analyzed under the auspices of the INTEGRAL Science Working Team. We report no statistically significant detections thus far but we will continue to analyze the data as more is taken. The results so far are consistent with previous measurements from e.g. RXTE and ASCA.

Promoting Academic Achievement in the Middle School Classroom: Integrating Effective Study Skills Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorpe, Christin

2010-01-01

This study aimed to discover what study skills are most useful for middle school students, as well as strategies for integrating study skills instruction into the four main content area classrooms (English, math, science, and social studies) at the middle school level. Twenty-nine in-service middle school teachers participated in the study by…

Tapioca Technology: An Integrated Study for the Third Grade.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkwood, James J.; Foster, Patrick N.

1993-01-01

An integrated unit for third graders expanded knowledge of geometry, geography, and social studies; taught construction technology principles; and increased cultural awareness. The activity involved hands-on study of the culture of Cameroon through cassava tasting and construction of a village. (SK)

Climate and Integrated Assessment Modeling Studies Grant - Closed Announcement FY 2012

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Grant to fund a cooperative agreement to benefit the field of economic and integrated assessment modeling related to climate change through regular collaborations and thedevelopment of model comparison studies.

Western Wind and Solar Integration Study: Phase 2 (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lew, D.; Brinkman, G.; Ibanez, E.

This presentation summarizes the scope and results of the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study Phase 2, which examined operational impacts of high penetrations of variable renewable generation in the West.

Applications of Data Mining Methods in the Integrative Medical Studies of Coronary Heart Disease: Progress and Prospect

PubMed Central

Wang, Yixin; Guo, Fang

2014-01-01

A large amount of studies show that real-world study has strong external validity than the traditional randomized controlled trials and can evaluate the effect of interventions in a real clinical setting, which open up a new path for researches of integrative medicine in coronary heart disease. However, clinical data of integrative medicine in coronary heart disease are large in amount and complex in data types, making exploring the appropriate methodology a hot topic. Data mining techniques are to analyze and dig out useful information and knowledge from the mass data to guide people's practices. The present review provides insights for the main features of data mining and their applications of integrative medical studies in coronary heart disease, aiming to analyze the progress and prospect in this field. PMID:25544853

STEM integration in middle school career and technical education programs: A Delphi design study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu-Rorrer, Billy Ray

The purpose of this qualitative method study with a Delphi research design sought to determine how STEM programs can be effectively integrated into middle school career and technical education programs by local, state, and national educators, administrators, directors, specialists, and curriculum writers. The significance of the study is to provide leaders in CTE with a greater awareness, insight, and strategies about how CTE programs can more effectively integrate academics into career and technical education programs through STEM-related programming. The findings will increase the limited amount of available literature providing best practice strategies for the integration of STEM curriculum into middle school CTE programs. One basic question has guided this research: How can STEM programs be effectively integrated into middle school career and technical education programs? A total of twelve strategies were identified. The strategies of real-world applications and administrative buy-in were the two predominant strategies consistently addressed throughout the review of literature and all three sub-questions in the research study. The Delphi design study consisted of pilot round and three rounds of data collection on barriers, strategies, and professional development for STEM integration in middle school career and technical education programs. Four panelists participated in the pilot round, and 16 panel members not involved in the pilot round participated in the three rounds of questioning and consensus building. In the future, more comprehensive studies can build upon this foundational investigation of middle school CTE programs.

A Mixed Methods Comparison of Teacher Education Faculty Perceptions of the Integration of Technology into Their Courses and Student Feedback on Technology Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teclehaimanot, Berhane; Mentzer, Gale; Hickman, Torey

2011-01-01

Results from previous studies on pre-service teacher technology integration and faculty perceptions of technology integration within the teacher education program at a medium-sized, Midwestern university are compared to account for the self-reported lack of confidence pre-service teachers have integrating technology into their teaching. Also…